The Hindu : Talks with LTTE by June-end: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 25, 2002

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International

Talks with LTTE by June-end: Minister

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO MAY 24. Despite signals from the LTTE that peace talks could be delayed, the Sri Lankan Government has expressed optimism that they would begin negotiations in June. The Constitutional Affairs Minister and Cabinet spokesman, G.L. Peiris, said today that the talks were likely to be held in the last week of June. Thailand had been chosen as the venue for the talks.

Mr. Peiris said a decision would soon be taken on the key LTTE pre-condition for talks — removal of the 1998 ban on it by the Government. The other condition is the full implementation of the provisions of the February truce agreement with the Government, which went into its fourth month today.

From today, LTTE cadres, with no restrictions on numbers, will be permitted to move freely in the Government-held areas of the north-east for "political work''. The only condition is that they should be unarmed, out of uniform and must carry ID.

A provision that the Government is yet to implement is withdrawal of troops from schools and public buildings in the north-east. While troops have been moved out of places of worship, the truce agreement gives the Government 70 more days to re-deploy soldiers stationed in schools and public buildings. If the LTTE sticks to its condition of full implementation, that might effectively take the talks to August.

But the Government seems to be sticking to its time-table of June for the talks. The Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, leaves on Saturday for a week-long visit to London and Brussels. He is scheduled to meet the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and in Brussels, will hold discussions with EU leaders.

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