Norway urges LTTE to refrain from violence
 

by Ananth Palakidnar

Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar while urging the LTTE to refrain from violence and respect the Ceasefire Agreement has said that a top level Norwegian delegation would meet LTTE leader Prabhakaran shortly to have talks on resuming the peace process.

The Norwegian envoy met the LTTE's political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan in Killinochchi yesterday and discussed the political and security climate in the North and East and the country at large.

During the discussion Brattskar informed Thamilselvan of President Mahinda Rajapakse's request to the Norwegian Government to continue with its facilitation role in the Sri Lankan peace process.

The Norwegian envoy urged the LTTE to refrain from violence. He also said that the Government and the LTTE should ensure the stability of the Ceasefire Agreement.

Commenting on President Rajapakse's first official meeting with him last Monday, Brattskar said the President wanted the Norwegian facilitation to continue.

A top level Norwegian team would arrive in Colombo to have discussions with President Rajapakse's Government and the LTTE hierarchy on resuming the stalled peace process.

Making his views to the Norwegian envoy S.P. Thamilselvan said the LTTE too preferred the Norwegian facilitation to continue. Assuring the organisation's commitment towards upholding the Ceasefire Agreement, Thamilselvan reiterated that the Government should also be vigilant on maintaining the ceasefire with curbing the activities of the para military outfits in the North and East.

Thamilselvan also urged faster measures to provide the relief assistance to thousands of people hit by Tsunami in the North and East.

Earlier, the Norwegian envoy met the Security Forces and the Government officials in the North and verified the current state of situation in the peninsula after the recent explosions which led to the deaths of 15 soldiers.