The government is yet to respond to a US suggestion of sending an envoy to meet LTTE leaders and discuss formalities for surrender and the de-commissioning of the rebels’ weapons.
The US position was made known during a meeting between Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona and the Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher in Washington earlier this week.
It was not known how and where the meeting would take place and Foreign Ministry officials were not available for comment yesterday.
During the meeting Dr. Kohona called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to hire more locals, especially medical personnel, to its staff, adding that the mission’s services were no longer required in areas now under government control.
Mr. Boucher raised the possibility of using UN and ICRC representatives to process the internally displaced people now living in 13 government-run centres.Dr. Kohona said more than 65,000 civilians have already fled the LTTE-controlled areas and entered the government side. |
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