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LTTE wants ceasefire agreement unchanged
LTTE’s political wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan has told Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen they did not want a review of the Ceasefire Agreement but wanted the strict adherence to the agreement by both sides.
The LTTE’s position was made known to the visiting Norwegian facilitator on Friday during a meeting at the rebels’ political headquarters in Kilinochchi and it came a day after President Chandrika Kumaratunga told Mr. Helgesen the government was ready to ‘review’ the CFA.

A statement issued by the President’s Office said: “The President expressed the Government’s readiness to a ‘review’ of the CFA as proposed by SLMM and as distinct from a ‘renegotiation’ of the CFA, in order that ancillary arrangements can be put in place to remedy the current gaps in the CFA, and build confidence on the basis of mutual responsibility and reciprocity between the two parties”.

But Mr. Thamilselvan told the Norwegian minister that there was no necessity for a ‘review’, of the CFA as both, the government and the LTTE had already agreed on the clauses and both parties had the responsibility to implement it.
He said the CFA was in danger due to the non-implementation of certain clauses in the agreement.

Meanwhile, SLMM chief Hagrup Haukland told The Sunday Times that a revised proposal on travel arrangements for LTTE cadres through government- controlled areas was sent to the LTTE on August 3. “We have not got a response for it,” Mr. Haukland said while declining to elaborate the contents of the proposals.

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