The Hindu : LTTE, Colombo reiterate commitment to peace process

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 23, 2002

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International

LTTE, Colombo reiterate commitment to peace process

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO MAY 22 . The Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE appeared to be making a concerted bid to weather a recent shaky patch in the ceasefire, with the two sides reiterating their commitment and support to the peace process at their first direct meeting in seven years on Tuesday.

In a move that was apparently a confidence-building exercise by the Government, Bernard Goonetilleke, the seniormost official in charge of the peace process, flew to LTTE-held Killinochchi yesterday for a meeting with the LTTE political wing leader, S.P. Thamilselvam.

The meeting followed a particularly bad period for the three-month old ceasefire during which the LTTE and the Government several times accused each other of violating the truce.

The LTTE had also expressed its unhappiness at what it described as the "slowing down'' of the process and questioned whether peace talks, which the Government had said would be held in June in Thailand, could take place against such a background.

Officials described Tuesday's meeting as "constructive'' and "cordial''.

A statement from the Government Peace Secretariat, which Mr. Goonetilleke heads, said today that the two sides discussed issues relating to the A 9 highway that runs through LTTE-controlled territory and which was reopened recently.

They also discussed the withdrawal of the armed forces from public buildings in the northeast including schools and temples.

The LTTE complaint that it was not being allowed by the Sri Lankan Navy to carry out political work in the islets off Jaffna was also discussed.

A Norwegian diplomat was present at the meeting as an observer. According to the statement, Mr. Thamilselvam even certified the victory of the ruling United National Front in the elections held to 17 local councils as "a clear demonstration'' of the support to the policies initiated by the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to fast-track the peace process.

The statement also projected the LTTE demand that the Government show the "same enthusiasm'' in carrying forward the peace process as it did when it was launched last December.

``Mr. Goonetilleke assured Mr. Thamilselvam that the Government would continue to do its utmost to achieve a lasting peace. Mr. Thamilselvam reciprocated by assuring continued support of the LTTE to the peace process,'' it stated.

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