The latest meeting between the LTTE and top officials of the Peace Secretariat ended without significant progress regarding a specific date for direct talks.

Many issues need to be dealt with before the LTTE agrees to fix dates.

The LTTE's position is that troops have not vacated the religious places of worship and schools as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

But the government says the security forces have withdrawn from 95% of the places concerned and are remaining only in high security areas.

The LTTE however appears to be taking a tough stand. One indication was when chief negotiator Anton Balasingham apparently avoided a meeting with Norway's peace envoy Vidar Helgesen in London.

It was reported that Mr. Balasingham was not well enough to meet the Oslo envoy but he was well enough to go to Geneva the next day to meet representatives of the Tamils there.

If Norway is unable to push the LTTE to the negotiating table some observers wonder whether the US could do it but the Americans are unlikely to agree to play the role that India did in the 1980's.

Though the US is playing a positive role in the peace process now some analysts also wonder how much pressure the US could exert on the LTTE even if it wished to play a direct role.

The LTTE's insistence on conditions being fulfilled has delayed the direct talks from May to June, then to July with uncertainty even over a July date now.

The Norwegians however would not want to upgrade their position as a mediator from facilitator unless both parties agree to it.

The understanding given by Norway to both parties is that Oslo would act as a neutral facilitator. Thus the Norwegians are tight lipped on most of the issues they face in the process of getting the parties together for talks.

But the Norwegians are known to be optimistic that the peace process is on track and they have little or doubt about the commitment of the LTTE.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson, his deputy Vidar Helgesen and special envoy Erik Solheim are also known to be confident the peace process would move forward gradually.

Mr. Helgesen and Mr. Solheim are also known to be pleased with the government of Sri Lanka specially the statesman like manner Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is handling the whole issue. "I am confident that Premier Wickremesinghe is committed to peace, he is determined to solve this problem", Mr. Solheim told Sri Lankan journalists in Oslo.

Mr. Helgesen and Mr. Solheim told journalists they were encountering various problems but were also hopeful that things would fall into place.

They had a word of appreciation for President Chandrika Kumaratunga also as the leader who initiated the process while Premier Wickremesinghe was taking giant strides.

Another significant feature is a diplomatic change by India. It involves Nirupan Sen who was once Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo and is now India's ambassador in Oslo. He is coming to Colombo as High Commissioner while the present envoy Gopal Krishna Gandhi is significantly going to Oslo.

Mr. Sen had been here at a crucial time when the then President J.R. Jayewardene was negotiating the abortive Indo-Lanka accord.

Mr. Sen is known to have wanted to maintain some links with the then militant JVP though the powerful High Commissioner J.N. Dixit was not too happy about the idea.

When JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe got away from the country during the bloody crackdown some reports suggested an Indian connection in helping him to get away.

So there are many questions as to why India is sending Mr. Sen here and whether he will play an active dynamic role like Mr. Dixit .

India has been largely a silent observer of the Sri Lankan peace process for the past few years, but says it is ready to help by providing experts at the negotiating table.

Whatever Mr. Sen may do, he comes here in the wake of the highly successful visit to India by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

With Tamilnadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jeyaram especially pushing hard for the extradition of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, there are questions as to whether he would emerge as a political leader if negotiations succeed. For the time being Mr. Prabhakaran is not likely to take part in any direct talks but would be available for consultations.

The LTTE would obviously like the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi to be part of the forgotten past but for India it won't be easy to forget.

This will possibly preclude Mr. Prabhakaran from coming into the political arena as an active politician.

The delaying tactics adopted by the LTTE on the grounds that the government has yet to fulfill its obligations will not augur well for the government or the LTTE. The government is under pressure from the international community to expedite talks. This is essential if Sri Lanka is to be the beneficiary of international money lending institutions to embark on projects which would generate more employment and improve the economic standards of the people.

On the other hand the Tamil people are also known to be concerned about the protracted process.

The meeting between the Tamil National Alliance and Premier Wickremesinghe on Wednesday centred on the concerns and uncertainty among the Tamil people. Though the government claimed troops had pulled out of 95 % of the areas the TNA gave detailed information on places where the troops still remained.

Ministers Tilak Marapana , John Amaratunga and Milinda Moragoda were present at the meeting along with service Chiefs.

As things stand talks in July are not likely and they may be delayed till August or eptember.

But as Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh told Erik Solheim recently a lot of patience is required from all parties and peace cannot be brokered if there is no patience.

Besides the peace initiative the government is also giving priority to tackling the escalating cost of living with the burdens on the people likely to get much heavier next month as the new Value Added Tax comes into effect. Serious public concern has been expressed mainly about medicinal drugs which were hitherto tax free but will now come under a 10% Value Added Tax.

Fuel prices have also been increased again along with water bills and light bills amidst growing fears that things are heading for an explosion unless effective relief measures are given to the people and given soon.

Many people say it is now necessary for ministers to set examples by cutting down on extravagances and living a more austere life.

Though the government has fared fairly well on the peace front it cannot boast of much in controlling the cost of living.

While in the opposition the UNP boasted of dynamic economic management but so far none of the professionally qualified ministers has shown much versatility in this field and none has come anywhere near the dynamism of R. Premadasa, Lalith Athulathmudali or Gamini Dissanayake.

With the value of the rupee plunging out of control, the future economic picture looks bleak unless the government strikes a deal with the LTTE now to set the stage for an economic revival.

Not only dynamic economic management the UNP while in Opposition had also boasted about the media freedom it would ensure. One step was taken recently with the repeal of Criminal Defamation laws. But Lake House continues to be under full state control though the UNP had spoken of it being broad based and put on the stock market. The UNP had also promised that the SLBC and Rupavahini would be made independent like the BBC, but so far there is little sign of it.

Former Information Chief and Lake House Chairman Sarath Amunugama was scathing in his attack on the UNP's record so far regarding media freedom. He claimed the repeal of Criminal Defamation laws was largely a ransom to the private media for the support given to the UNP.

Mr. Amunugama also scoffed at the pigeon that had been posted outside Lake House apparently to indicate there was press freedom now. He said he saw it more as a sign as a pigeon post from Lake House to Temple Trees with the SLBC and Rupavahini being cross connected.

Even if Dr. Amunugama's comments had some validity one could justifiably ask whether he did much better when he was the chairman of Lake House though he did not exhibit pigeons. Most of these politicians say one thing while in Opposition and

nother while in office.
The once powerful Mangala Samaraweera had scoffed at the media as a mafia. Now with his wings clipped and in trouble over a Matara attack Mr. Samaraweera is seeking the support of the media to fight his cases and his cause.

The government needs to give more freedom to the state controlled media, set up the Press Complaints Commission instead of the Press Council and introduce the Freedom of Information Bill.

While the Criminal Defamation law was repealed it seemed that VIPs were moving to make full use of civil defamation.

Some of them threaten the media with huge law suits when questions are raised about certain institutions under their purview while others are making jaunts abroad regardless of the money they are spending.

Governments may come and go but the culture of party politics apparently cannot detach itself from the vulture.

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