Akashi to meet LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi Tuesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:16 GMT]
The Japanese special peace envoy, Mr.Yasushi Akashi, is to meet the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday in Kilinochchi. The Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Mr.Akio Suda, will accompany Mr. Akashi and two other diplomats to Kilinochchi, sources at the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said.

Since he arrived in Colombo Saturday night, Mr. Akashi has had discussions with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, on Sunday morning at the Japanese embassy and with the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Mr.Rauff Hakeem, on Tuesday morning at the latter's residence.


File Photo: Mr. Akashi meeting LTTE political leader, Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan, during a visit to Kilinochchi in January 2004


Mr.Hakeem requested Mr. Akashi to inform the UPFA government, the main opposition UNP and the LTTE leadership of the urgent need of accommodating the Muslim delegation in the next round of peace talks as a separate entity. The Muslim leader is reported to have informed Mr. Akashi that the peace talks would fail without the participation of a Muslim delegation as a separate entity, SLMC sources said.

Mr. Akashi is due to meet the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, and Prime Minister, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, Wednesday on his return from Kilinochchi. Before winding up his stay in Colombo, he is scheduled to address a press conference at the Colombo Hilton Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, the sources said.