SLMM says ceasefire monitoring will continue

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 2003, 18:12 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Sri Lanka said Saturday that the President's letter asking the Norwegian Prime Minister to remove the SLMM head would not affect the SLMM monitoring activities in the island, the State controlled Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation reported in its evening news broadcast Saturday quoting the SLMM spokesperson Ms Agnes Bragadottir.

With the President's letter to Norwegian Prime Minister requesting the removal of the SLMM head, some sections of the media carried reports that the SLMM would withdraw from ceasefire monitoring. "The media reports concerned are unfounded," Ms.Bragadottir said.

President's letter would not affect the monitoring activities of the SLMM in Sri Lanka. Monitors would continue to discharge their duties without any interruption, SLMM spokesperson Ms Agnes Bragadottir reiterated according to the SLBC news broadcast, sources said.

Even though the President has written to Norwegian Prime Minister there was no reason that it would lead to the suspension of the ceasefire monitoring activities, she said.

SLMM spokesperson declined to comment on the President's letter on the removal of SLMM head. But she said the response to the President's letter would be made by appropriate branch of the Norwegian government.