International
TNA wants ban on LTTE lifted
By Nirupama Subramanian
COLOMBO, JAN. 10. Representatives of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) who met the Norwegian delegation that arrived here today told the facilitators that Sri Lanka must lift the ban on the LTTE in the interest of the peace process.
Eight representatives of the four-party alliance held discussions with the Norwegian team, which included the Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen, Special Adviser to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, Erik Solheim, and an official from the Ministry.
``The Norwegians seemed to realise how enormous and difficult their task is. They were not oozing with confidence, but they seemed upbeat,'' said R. Sampanthan, TNA parliamentarian and general secretary of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF).
He said the TNA had emphasised the importance of de- proscribing the LTTE to enable it to participate in the peace process as an equal.
The three-member delegation met the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Ministers, G.L. Pieris and Milinda Moragoda, who have been hand-picked by the Prime Minister to handle the peace process, besides Norway's Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jon Westborg, also participated in the discussions.
The delegation was also scheduled to meet the Foreign Minister, Tyronne Fernando. The team will meet the Indian High Commissioner, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, on Friday.
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