GOSL, LTTE and WB to meet again in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 January 2003, 23:38 GMT]
The delegations of the Government of Sri Lanka, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and World Bank are scheduled to meet Thursday (30.1.2003) in Colombo to hold discussions related to the funds pledged at the donor conference in Oslo, Norway last year. Minister and Cabinet spokesman Professor G.L.Peiris informed this at a press briefing held Wednesday.

Last week, delegations of the GOSL and the LTTE met in Colombo at an unidentified five star hotel under heavy security and held discussion regarding the disbursement of funds pledged at the Oslo conference, sources said.

Meanwhile Minister Mr.Peiris ruled out the possibility of replacing the present ceasefire agreement signed by the GOSL and LTTE last February with a new one. "There is no need to replace the present Memorandum of Understanding. The present ceasefire-agreement which is to complete one year in three weeks' time has been successful," stressed Minister Mr.Peiris in reply to a question.

The ceasefire agreement now in force will continue dealing with minor issues. Two sides meet and sort out problems whenever they crop up, said Mr. G.L.Peiris.

The venue for the fifth round of peace talks has been shifted to Berlin in Germany due to the ill health of LTTE's chief negotiator Dr.Anton Balasingham. At the forthcoming peace talks scheduled to be held on February 7 and 8, matters related human rights, rehabilitation of the northeast and resettlement of displaced would be discussed, said Minister Mr.Peiris.

Referring to a question that President Chandrika Kumaratunge is likely to dissolve parliament and order for a new general election cabinet spokesman Mr.Peiris said the UNF government is prepared to face a general election at any time as the majority of the people are with them.

In the meantime the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP) main constituent of the main opposition Peoples Alliance Wednesday announced that the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has not asked President Chandrika Kumaratunge to dissolve parliament and to order fresh general election. The SLFP has not come an understanding with the JVP regarding to the formation of a new government, Mr.Maithiripala Sirisena, General Secretary of the SLFP said Wednesday.

However the leaders of the JVP had conducted several discussions with President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge assessing the present political situation in the country after the UNF government and LTTE signed a ceasefire agreement.