No constructive message from Colombo - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 September 2004, 09:33 GMT]
"The Norwegian facilitators did not bring any constructive message from the Sri Lankan government. It is unfortunate that the Sri Lankan government is not speaking in one voice about the peace process" said Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of the Liberation Tigers' political divison, speaking to the press after discussions with Mr. Eric Solheim, Norway's special peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Thursday in Kilinochchi. Speaking briefly to media after the meeting, Mr. Solheim said all parties connected to the peace process are feeling a sense of frustration now.

Responding to questions from the press Mr.Thamilchelvan said, "We emphasised the urgency of restarting peace talks on the basis of the mandate that our people gave at the last general elections for establishing an Interim Self Governing Authority. We explained to the Norwegians that setting up the ISGA is necessary to build our people's trust in peace. We explained the reasons why the talks stopped".

"The activities of some paramiitary groups working with the Sri Lankan army in Batticaloa are threatening the cease fire agreement. We told the Norwegian facilitators that the Government of Sri Lanka should implement article 1.8 of the cease fire agreement (CFA) under which it pledged to disarm paramilitaries working with the Sri Lanka army and to remove them from the northeast. But it is yet to abide by this provision of the CFA. The Norwegians accepted our position", Mr. Thamilchelvan said.