LTTE, Sri Lanka joint mechanism urgent need - EU

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 March 2005, 15:20 GMT]
The European Union's Commissioner for External Relations, Ms.Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Tuesday called for the speedy establishment of a joint mechanism between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to distribute Tsunami aid. Addressing a news conference in Colombo Tuesday she emphasized that the joint mechanism was an ‘urgent need’.

She said that aid distribution should be done without any political consideration and the joint mechanism will be useful for ensuring that the international aid flows to the most deserving people.

After a visit to the tsunami affected areas Ms. Ferrero-Waldner said that she was calling on the government, the LTTE and opposition to establish a joint mechanism for distributing aid, adding that she hoped the political leaders in

Sri Lanka will use wisdom and leadership to make it a reality. ‘Our aid is not based on ethnic divisions’, she said. She said her country was fully backing the Norwegians who are involved in the peace process and said that some recent incidents have marred the cease-fire.

She said the LTTE should renounce violence, respect the Oslo declaration to find a Federal solution within a united Sri Lanka, stop child recruitment and allow all other parties with different political opinions to function in the north and east.

The EU commissioner said that the EU was providing 100 million Euros to all Tsunami affected areas of Sri Lanka and also for building a highway between Matara and Batticaloa.