LTTE agrees to participate in talks on Ceasefire Agreement

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 August 2005, 07:39 GMT]
The LTTE leadership has informed the Norwegian Government of its decision to participate in talks with the Sri Lanka government on issues relating to the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement. Mr. Anton Balasingham, the political advisor and the chief peace negotiator of the Liberation Tigers, told TamilNet that the LTTE leadership has accepted the Norwegian invitation to "participate in a review of the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement in order to find practical ways of ensuring full compliance by both parties."

Mr. Jan Petersen, the Norwegian Foreign Minister, along with his deputy Mr. Vidar Helgesen met Mr Balasingham at his residence in London last Wednesday and handed over proposals to the LTTE leader Mr. Pirapaharan calling for urgent talks on problems relating to the implementation of the truce. The LTTE leader has positively considered the Norwegian proposals and agreed to send a high level delegation to participate in the talks with the Sri Lanka government, Mr. Balasingham said.

The LTTE’s theoretician further revealed that the talks, facilitated by the Norwegians, would be held in Oslo within the next couple of weeks. The discussions will also focus on the escalating violence in the Northeast and other related issues.