Solheim to meet Thamilchelvan Thursday

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 September 2004, 17:52 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim is scheduled to meet Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in the Killinochchi Peace Secretariat, sources said

September 16th Thursday marks the second anniversary of the grand opening of the peace talks between the then United National Front (UNF) government and the LTTE at Sattahip, Thailand for the first time after signing the ceasefire agreement.

Mr. Erik Solheim and Norwegian ambassador in Sri Lanka Mr. Hans Brattskar who spent a Wednesday in Jaffna to assess the ground situation are expected to travel to Killinochchi, sources said.

Mr.Solheim is expected to meet President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Thursday evening on his return from Killinochchi. Mr.Solheim is scheduled to leave Sri Lanka on Friday afternoon at the end of his five-day stay, Colombo political sources said.

During his stay in Jaffna Wednesday Mr.Solheim met Sri Lanka Army Jaffna area commander Major General Sunil Tennekoon and top officials of government security establishment.

He also met with representatives of non-governmental organizations and humanitarian agencies.

Jaffna district political head of the LTTE Mr.C.Ilamparithi had told Mr.Solheim Wednesday that Tamil people in the Jaffna district are not at all benefited by the current ceasefire. People are still undergoing immense suffering even after the ceasefire. Several hundreds of thousands of internally displaced families are still languishing in welfare centres and camps due to their houses and agricultural lands, which are located in the high security zones, have been occupied by the Sri Lanka Army, sources said.

''I have come to Jaffna to assess the current ground situation,'' said Mr.Solheim during his two hour-long discussion with Mr. Ilamparithi and other LTTE leaders in Jaffna, sources said.