Colombo blocks Akashi from visiting Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 December 2005, 22:04 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government has prevented Japanese Special Peace Envoy, Yasushi Akashi, from visiting Kilinochchi to meet the political wing leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to discuss matters related to peace process. Denying media reports in Colombo that Japan wanted to become partner of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Akashi said Japan has no intention of becoming a partner to the SLMM and applauded the Scandinavian countries for their effective work.

Mr. Yasushi Akashi revealed at news conference on Sunday evening in Colombo that he has dropped the idea of visiting Kilinochchi in order to comply with the wishes of the Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Mr. Akashi, who meets LTTE leaders every time he visits, said that Sri Lanka was reviewing the peace process comprehensively to decide on the future strategy and that he will eagerly wait for the right time to resume his meetings with the LTTE.

Akashi, who is Japan's Representative for Peace-building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka, described the peace and stability situation in Sri Lanka as deteriorating and is a matter of serious concern.

He also said that Colombo wanted to hold the next direct dialogue with the LTTE outside Sri Lanka.

He said Japanese government will be glad to host the dialogue between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, if both parties are agreeable.

The government of Sri Lanka previously stopped UN Secretary General Kofi Annan visiting NorthEast when he toured Sri Lanka on a humanitarian mission in the aftermath of tsunami that killed more than 30,000 in Sri Lanka.

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