Date:22/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/22/stories/2006072203681600.htm

International

LTTE firm on monitors

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: There is no change in the demand of the LTTE for withdrawal of European Union (E.U.) monitors from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) by September 1.

This was conveyed by LTTE political head S.P. Tamilchelvan to the Ambassador-at-Large of Swedish Foreign Ministry Anders Olijelund when he met him at Kilinochchi on Thursday morning in a bid to inject new life into the faltering mission. The Ambassador is holding talks with Colombo and the LTTE on the monitors issue.

The LTTE has argued that the presence of the monitors has become untenable after the E.U. ban on the Tigers in May. At a meeting here on Tuesday, the Government said any unilateral change in the composition of the SLMM was unethical and unacceptable.

The LTTE also raised serious objections to the political initiatives of President Mahinda Rajapakse for a solution to the ethnic conflict.

A report posted on the LTTE Web site said normality could prevail only if the Government removed the armed forces from civilian areas and began to fully implement the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA).