SLMM head to meet LTTE political leadership Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 July 2004, 23:31 GMT]
The Norwegian Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde, is scheduled to hold talks with Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Thursday morning at Killinochchi Peace Secretariat, SLMM sources said.

SLMM sources further said that Major General Trond Furuhovde is likely to discuss with Mr.Thamilchelvan the urgent necessity to safeguard the ceasefire agreement and recent violations of the CFA by the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL).

According to Vanni sources, Major General Trond Furuhovde Wednesday evening arrived in Kilinochchi by a special Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter to make preparations for talks with Mr.Thamilchelvan.

Meanwhile, Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen is scheduled to arrive in Colombo Sunday to hold talks with both partie in a fresh bid to resume the stalled peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, political sources in Colombo said.

Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Helgessen (AFP Photo)

Mr. Vidar Helgessen is due to meet Sri Lanka's President, Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition during his stay in Colombo. He is also expected to meet the LTTE political head Mr.Thamilchelvan on Monday in Kilinochchi.

Mr.Helgessen will meet the President on his return from Kilinochchi the same day or next day, sources further said.