On August 14, 2002 a meeting was
held in Oslo between the Sri Lankan Minister of Economic Reforms,
Science and Technology and Deputy Minister for Policy Development
and Implementation, Milinda Moragoda, and the chief negotiator for
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Anton Balasingham.
Moragoda was accompanied by the Director General of the Secretariat
for the Coordination of the Peace Process of the Sri Lankan
government, ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke. Balasingham was
accompanied by his wife, Adele. The meeting took place in the
presence of Norwegian State Secretary Vidar Helgesen and the
Norwegian facilitation team consisting of special advisor to the
Foreign Ministry Erik Solheim, Norwegian ambassador to Sri Lanka
Jon Westborg and advisor Lisa Golden. During the discussion on the
ceasefire agreement, the Head of Mission of the Sri Lanka
Monitoring Mission, Trond Furuhovde, was also present.
This was the second direct meeting
between the chief negotiator of the LTTE and a central government
minister supervising the peace process. The meeting followed up on
the progress made at the first meeting between Moragoda and
Balasingham, held on July 27 at the Norwegian ambassadorial
residence in London.
In the meeting, the parties agreed
to commence formal talks in Thailand between the 12th and 17th of
September, with Norwegian facilitation. The Norwegian government
will issue a statement announcing the exact date for the
meeting.
The meeting in Oslo also covered
issues related to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,
among them the situation in the high security zones, the
resettlement of internally displaced persons and the release of
detainees. The two sides took note of the July report of the Sri
Lanka Monitoring Mission on violations of the ceasefire agreement.
The parties discussed reported incidents of LTTE recruitment of
cadres under the age of eighteen and abductions. The LTTE agreed to
investigate the issues and take necessary remedial measures. In
this context, the parties welcomed the upcoming visit in late
August of Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for
Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, to the north and east of
Sri Lanka.
The atmosphere in the meeting was
cordial and constructive. The session lasted for two hours,
followed by lunch.
While in Oslo, each of the parties
also met with Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jan Petersen. Petersen
commended the parties for their agreement on starting talks in
Thailand, saying it demonstrates that they are working together in
a highly constructive spirit to resolve issues and take the peace
process forward.
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