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Oslo for truce panel with Delhi approval
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
TORONTO, JAN. 29. Norway has proposed the setting up of a high-level committee, comprising international and local representatives approved by India, to monitor the envisaged permanent ceasefire between the Sri Lankan armed forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. It is hoped that the Oslo drafted ``memorandum of understanding'' governing the ceasefire would be signed by both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE before February 24.
Informed Tamil sources said significant progress had been achieved by Norway in laying the groundwork for establishing a permanent ceasefire between both parties in the Sri Lankan conflict following a crucial three-hour meeting held in London on January 28.
A Norwegian delegation consisting of the Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen, the Ambassador to Colombo, Jon Westborg, the Special Foreign Ministry adviser, Erik Solheim, and Foreign Ministry official, Krjiste Tromsdal, met the LTTE's chief negotiator and political adviser, Anton Balasingham, and ironed out details concerning the draft MoU for a ceasefire.
The Norwegians are now focussing on harmonising the present situation and getting both parties to agree to a joint ceasefire that would be ``structured and stable.''
Both sides are at present adhering to parallel cessation of hostilities declared unilaterally and maintained separately. The ceasefire extended on a monthly basis will lapse on February 24.
The sources, however, said the parties concerned were optimistic of signing the MoU before February 24 and bringing a ``durable and permanent'' ceasefire into force.
Although not finalised yet, it is learnt that Oslo is mooting a time-bound ceasefire of at least one year initially.
The draft MoU would incorporate provisions relating to a permanent ceasefire, such as a control framework, codes of conduct for mechanisms to monitor the ceasefire and an outline regarding the modalities for preliminary negotiations, the sources said.
Concrete proposals
During discussions concrete proposals such as segregated areas of control for both sides in a post-ceasefire scenario, the setting up of ``neutral'' zones separating both sides physically, clear rules of passage to govern movement of personnel by either side to the other and rules of conduct for both sides to follow during ceasefire have been evolved.
A vital mechanism to monitor the ceasefire will be the appointment of an overseeing committee comprising foreign and local representatives.
Given the geo-political sensitivity of this aspect India will be consulted by Norway before the monitoring committee is set up.
It is learnt that India's approval of foreign participants will be obtained before the monitoring committee is constituted.
Norway, Sri Lanka and the LTTE are all agreed that the monitoring committee should be acceptable to India.
Mr. Helgesen is scheduled to visit Colombo for further discussions on the ceasefire draft.
It is expected that he will visit New Delhi also to both inform India of the developments and finalise appointing the monitoring committee.
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