LTTE prepared to open Kilinochchi-Jaffna highway

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 February 2002, 15:37 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Friday that they are willing to open the remaining part of the A-9 highway from Kilinochchi to Jaffna in the near future, if the Sri Lankan Government responded favourably. This was stated by Mr.Thangan (Sutha), Political Administrative Secretary of the organisation when speaking at the ceremonial function of the opening of A-9 highway from Vavuniya to Killinochchi Friday morning.

The SLA and the LTTE Friday opened two new checkpoints, with one hundred meters neutral zone between the two in the reopened A/9 highway. The ICRC is providing escort to civilians who travel through the neutral zone (no man area), sources said.

With the reopening of the A-9 highway up to Killinochchi the peace initiatives taken so far have been strengthened, Mr. Thangan added.

However quoting government sources the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in its evening news broadcast Friday evening said that "allowing access right from Killinochchi upto Jaffna in the A-9 highway which is scheduled for a later date, is depending on a formal truce agreement between the government and the LTTE.".

Meanwhile addressing the ceremonial function of the reopening of A-9 highway held at the SLA controlled side the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lionel Balagalle said that the government has saved around 100 million rupees due to the cessation of hostilities now being observed in the war zone.

Lt.General Balagalle assured that the armed forces would extend its unstilted co-operation to the government to achieve peace in the country.

Minister Mr.Milinda Morogoda said that setbacks expected in the peace initiatives would not deter the government's commitment to find a peaceful solution to the national question.

Vanni district parliamentarians Raja Kuhaneswaran, Sivasakthi Anandan, D.Siththarthan and several military officials attend the ceremonial event.