LTTE, govt set to talk across the table

Peiris said the two sides had agreed on proceeding to the stage of talks without further delay. The ongoing mutually agreed truce had laid the foundation for the development, he added.

The minister declined to comment on speculation that talks would take place in Thailand, and said the venue will be announced in due course. Local media reports said Thailand has emerged as the most likely venue after India did not respond to the LTTE’s request for hosting the talks and Maldives expressed reservations.

The proposed talks will be the first face-to-face parleys between the government and the LTTE since 1995. The earlier negotiations with the Kumaratunga regime had collapsed over preliminary issues.

Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen is expected to meet the LTTE leadership in mid-April to further strengthen the peace initiative, Peiris said.

The Tamilnet website quoted Balasingham last night as saying that the LTTE wanted three pre-requisites to be fulfilled for the beginning of talks — full implementation of the present ceasefire agreement, lifting the ban on LTTE and return of normalcy in the North and East.

Asked about these conditions, Peiris said: ‘‘If that is so, we will consider them.’’ Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has already said he will consider anything other than a demand for a separate state.

‘‘We should first arrive at an agreement on the agenda, what should be discussed and the sequence,’’ Peiris said. He rejected Opposition criticism that Balasingham, who left the island by a clandestine sea route, should not have been allowed to enter the country, especially by the unconventional mode of an air taxi that landed in the LTTE-held region.

‘‘There is no contravention of the law in his return, and in any case, he had to be allowed to meet Prabhakaran to give the LTTE an opportunity for an international discussion to formulate its negotiation strategy,’’ Peiris said.

Reports from the North said yesterday’s discussions between Prabhakaran and the Norwegian team, which included special envoy Erik Solheim and Ambassador in Colombo Jon Westborg, revolved around the progress in implementing the truce. Prabhakaran had expressed disappointment over delay in reopening a highway that is the only land route to Jaffna peninsula and town. The Norwegians assured him the last stretch of the road will be reopened on April 8. (PTI)