EU puts Tamil rebels on terror list

The European Union put Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers on its list of terrorist groups, despite a warning from the rebels that the move could force them back to war.

The European Union put Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers on its list of terrorist groups, despite a warning from the rebels that the move could force them back to war. The EU ban, agreed in principle on May 18, was made official at a meeting of ministers yesterday from the 25-member bloc to discuss competition issues. It will deprive the LTTE of some of the vital funds they collect from members of the Tamil diaspora in Europe.

As well as freezing rebel funds, the move, which came at the urging of the US and the Sri Lankan government, also provides for special EU cooperation measures to combat the group.

Sri Lanka had hoped a ban would force the rebels to the negotiating table, and the EU move comes just as the rebels have accepted an invitation to take part in talks in Norway next month.

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An EU diplomat said the LTTE had brought the ban on itself. ‘‘If they had been serious at the negotiating table we could have thought about another way, we would have set up a virtuous circle, instead of this vicious circle that we’re in at the moment,’’ he said.

Govt asks LTTE to resume talks,/b>

Colombo: Sri Lanka on Tuesday ruled out any military crackdown against the LTTE following the EU ban on them and asked the rebels to ‘‘think afresh’’ on resuming negotiations.

‘‘The government is of the firm conviction that solution to the issues at hand have to be sought only through political means and not through military means,’’ a statement from President Mahinda Rajapakse’s office said.

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