Helgesen meets SLMC leader

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 July 2004, 16:07 GMT]
Mr. Vidar Helgessen, Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister is reported to have told Mr.Rauff Hakim, Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Tuesday that renegade Karuna's affair has become a stumbling block in taking forward the stalled peace talks between the Government Of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), according to SLMC sources.

Mr.Helgessen met with Mr.Rauff Hakim as a part of his talks with the GOSL and LTTE in a bid to save the fragile ceasefire agreement following serious disputes between the GOSL and LTTE, sources said.

Mr.Helgessen further told Mr. Hakim that the ceasefire agreement is in danger following the failure to find a solution to Karuna affair, according to SLMC sources.

Mr. Hakim is reported to have told the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister that his party would accommodate the LTTE's Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal if SLMC political proposals also included in it, SLMC sources said.

Mr. Hakim accused the UPFA government for failing to adopt transparency in its peace moves. The SLMC would exert pressure on the government to announce its stand on peace move openly, SLMC sources said.

Mr.Helgessen Monday held discussion with the LTTE political head Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan. Mr.Helgessen went to Kilinochchi after meeting Government's Peace Secretariat Secretary General Mr.Jayantha Dhanapala in Colombo, sources said.