TNA delegation meets LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 14:30 GMT]
A Tamil National Alliance delegation led by its parliamentary group leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tuesday held discussion with the LTTE’s political head, Mr.S.P.Thamilselvan, regarding the possibility of the resumption of peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

The TNA delegation conveyed to the LTTE leadership the outcome of the talks it had with the Norwegian deputy foreign minister, Mr. Vidar Helgessen, and the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, on Monday in a bid to resolve the impasse in resuming the peace talks, TNA sources said.

The LTTE temporarily withdrew last month from the peace talks with the GOSL and also announced its decision of not attending the Japan aid summit scheduled for the first week of June until decisions arrived at six rounds of peace talks held earlier are implemented.

The TNA-LTTE talks, which began Tuesday around 11 in the morning and concluded at about 1:30 p.m., were held at the Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi, sources said.

After about two and a half hours of talks, Mr.Sampanthan told journalists that the LTTE would announce its stand on the question of resuming peace talks with the GOSL and participating in the Japanese aid summit at a press conference.

Sources in Vanni said that the press conference earlier scheduled to be held by the LTTE on Wednesday has been put off for Thursday morning. The press conference is to be presided over by Mr. Thamilselvan.

The TNA delegation that met the LTTE leadership comprised Messrs. Sampanthan, Joseph Pararajasingham, G.G.Gajendrakumar, N.Raviraj and Suresh Premachandran. Mr. Thamilselvan, his deputy Mr.S.Thangan and the head of the LTTE’s peace secretariat, Mr.S.Pultihevan, participated in the discussion.

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