Government seeks clear commitment to truce by LTTE

President brief Co-Chairs

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting with Donor Co-Chair representatives yesterday said the Government will seriously consider any initiative 'incorporating a clear commitment to a comprehensive and verifiable Cessation of Hostilities by the LTTE Leader.'

At the meeting held at President's House the President stressed 'such a Cessation of Hostilities should include modalities to ensure that the Sampur area does not pose a military threat to the Trincomalee Harbour and its environs due to the LTTE military presence in Sampur violating the CFA.'

Assuring the diplomats the Government was still open for a peaceful solution to the North East issue, President Rajapaksa also asserted that his Government was awaiting the LTTE to return to talks on the ceasefire and substantive matters.

The Co-Chair representatives called on the President yesterday morning, to discuss the current situation of the ceasefire and related matters.

At this meeting attended by representatives of the US, the EU, Norway and Japan, President Rajapaksa briefed that the action by the Security Forces were clearly aimed at preventing or responding to the LTTE offensive and that the Government did not initiate any offensive operations in breach of the ceasefire.

The President also reaffirmed the Government's continuing commitment to the ceasefire.

The Co-Chair representatives has appreciated the action taken by the Government to provide humanitarian access to the embattled region and to facilitate investigations in the killings taken place in the North and East including that of the NGO workers and 100 Muslim youth in Muttur.

He also briefed the envoys about the ongoing investigations on the reported killings and provided them with details on the supply of essential services and humanitarian assistance to the affected region in both the cleared and uncleared areas.

The President has also commended the humanitarian work carried out by many NGOs and UN agencies in the North and East.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and Government Peace Secretariat senior officials were present at the meeting.