Negative response from LTTE to Government proposals

[June 5, 2003 - 10.00 GMT]  

Responding to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe the LTTE said yesterday it was prepared to resume negotiations with the Sri Lankan Government on the establishment of an Interim Administrative structure empowered to undertake the task of rebuilding the war damaged economy and restoring normalcy in the Tamil speaking homeland.

The LTTE expressed its disappointment at the government’s rejection of its proposal for an “innovative new structure with specified politico-administrative functions, vested with adequate authority and legal status and with wider participation of the LTTE”.

Chief negotiator and LTTE’s Political Advisor, Anton Balasingham said in his letter to the PM, they were “disappointed to note that you have not given a clear and precise response to our proposal but rather indicated, negatively that you could not act against the rules and laws of the land.”

In his letter the Prime Minister had said an Interim Administration would be unconstitutional and proposed settling up a development body instead, in which the rebels would have power, to oversee aid work in minority Tamil areas as a way out of the dead lock.

Peace negotiations have been on hold since April when the rebels suspended talks and also pulled out of the donor conference set for Tokyo on Monday (June 9), saying the pace of rebuilding Tamil areas was too slow.

Balasingham’s letter concludes with “we wish to assure you that we are prepared to resume negotiations if you reconsider your position and offer us, for our consideration, a draft framework for an Interim Administrative structure along the lines proposed by our leadership.”

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Last Updated Date: June 05, 2003  - 10.00 GMT.