LTTE calls for De-escalation of conflict as necessary condition for peace talks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 February 2000, 09:13 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has urged the Government of Sri Lanka to take constructive measures to remove the conditions of oppression of the Tamil people to create conducive atmosphere for peace talks.

Mr. Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s theoretician and political advisor, conveyed this message to the Sri Lankan government when he met the Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr. Knut Vollebaek recently in a European capital. Mr. Vollebaek has appraised Mr. Balasingham of his lengthy discussion he had with President Kumaratunga in Colombo.

In an hour long discussion with the Norwegian facilitator Mr. Balasingham has emphasised the necessity and urgency of initiating a process of de-escalation of the conflict to create congenial atmosphere of goodwill and mutual trust which are conducive for peace talks.

Mr.Balasingham has also expressed LTTE’s concern over the mounting conditions of repression and persecution of Tamils in recent times in the background of a massive scale military build up by the Sri Lankan government aiming to escalate the war.

Mr.Balasingham has told the TamilNet that President Kumaratungas’s strategy of achieving a broad based consensus among Sinhala political parties over the so-called political package has miserably failed.

The only alternative left for the peace project is the process of de-escalation which involves a pragmatic programme of normalisation, cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of troops and removal of all restrictions and embargoes on the social and economic life of our people, Mr.Balasingham said.

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