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EU’s big three pushed for the travel ban
From Neville de Silva in London
Several key European Union members supported Sri Lanka’s call for sanctions against the LTTE. Britain, which pushed Sri Lanka’s case on to the EU agenda, was strongly supported by France, Germany and The Netherlands, diplomatic sources based in Brussels told The Sunday Times.

With the EU’s “Big Three” urging action against the LTTE for its continuing violence and killings, Norway’s proxies in the organisation had to give way, the diplomatic source said.

It is understood that Spain and Italy, which had also been the victims of terrorism at various times, are also said to have been keen to see the EU take some measures to counter the LTTE’s unrestrained violence particularly in the East and the recruitment of child soldiers.

Asked whether it is correct that Belgium and Austria had been extremely lukewarm, if not actually against EU moves to rap the LTTE’s knuckles, the diplomat from Brussels said he could not confirm it but it could be possible.
The tough EU statement last Monday admonishing the LTTE of a possible ban on it within the European Union and placing restrictions on official contacts with LTTE delegations is the consequence of the strong stand taken by the “Big Three”, the diplomat said.

Still it stopped short of listing the LTTE as a terrorist organisation as it had done to some other organisations over three years ago. The EU’s Working Group on Asia that met last month following which Britain, as the current chair of the organisation issued Monday’s declaration is due to meet again in the first half of this month when the matter is likely to be taken up again. Norway, however, is not bound by the EU decisions as it is not a member of the 25-nation European Union.

Oslo made clear in an interview with the BBC World Service “Asia Today” programme on Wednesday that it will continue to play its role as facilitator of the peace process.

Anne Lene Dale Sandsten, spokespersons for the Norwegian Foreign Ministry told BBC that the Norwegian authorities have taken note of the EU statement and were generally aware of the discussions going on in Brussels.

Asked how damaging the EU stand would be in terms of reviving the peace process, Ms Sandsten said that Norway did not have any official stance on this question.

She said it was up to the EU to decide on its policy and that she would have to refer to the EU for a general interpretation of its declaration last Monday.She made clear, however, that Norway had no plans to change its policy on the peace process and would continue to have contacts with both sides.

Meanwhile Lord Naseby, chairman of the All Party Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group told BBC that the travel ban was quite a sensible move. He said LTTE leader Prabhakaran and others should understand that recruitment of child soldiers and extorting money from the Tamil people throughout Europe and in Canada and the US, were not acceptable. While the Tamil people needed to be protected, this should be done within the context of Sri Lanka’s unitary state.

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