LTTE to attend Japan peace talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 March 2003, 17:38 GMT]
The delegation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will leave Colombo on Sunday night to attend peace talks in Hakone, Japan, scheduled to commence on March 18, said Mr.Anton Balasingham, LTTE theoretician, Saturday, addressing a press conference held at Killinochchi Peace Secretariat, sources said.

The LTTE delegation comprising Mr.Anton Balasingham, political head Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan and Batticaloa area commander Colonel Karuna will leave Killinochchi Sunday morning around 11 a.m. to Colombo and from there they would leave for Japan Sunday night around 9 p.m, sources in Killinochchi said.

"Our leadership has taken a decision to attend Japan peace talks. The boycotting of the Japan peace talks could result in bringing undesirable consequences. Further, a boycott will likely provide Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) a propaganda tool to cast doubts on our committment to peace talks. Hence our leadership decided to participate in the Japan peace talks," said Mr.Anton Balasingham.

"Our leadership felt that expressing direct condemnation of the action of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) for sinking our merchant vessel in most severe terms to the GOSL, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and to the international community interested in peace would be more appropriate at this juncture," said Mr.Anton Balasingham.

The LTTE delegation would also take up the question of resettling the displaced in the high security zones in Jaffna district. The displaced should enjoy the peace dividends. People will lose confidence on the peace process if they fail to enjoy its benefits, said Mr.Anton Balasingham.

Colonel Karuna and two additional helpers arrived in Vanni in a special Sri Lanka Airforce helicopter from Palugamam Saturday morning.