"No back-door link with LTTE"- Harim Peiris

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 February 2004, 17:13 GMT]
"The President is not trying to establish a back-door link with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam," said Sri Lanka President's spokesperson Mr.Harim Peiris commenting on a report that Defense Ministry Secretary Mr. Cyril Herath has written a letter to LTTE Peace Secretariat head Mr.Pulithevan, media sources said.

Mr. Cyril Herath has written a letter to Mr.Pulithevan about matters related to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and not on political issues, said Mr.Harim Peiris.

Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge still maintains that the Mr.Wickremesinghe should continue with the peace process and she has no plan to take over the stalled peace process, he said.

The LTTE has not responded to the Defense Ministry Secretary's letter, he added.

Mr. Pulithevan is currently accompanying LTTE's Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, on a tour to several European countries.