LTTE demands safe passage guarantee, to attend Geneva talks

Colombo, Mar 30 (UNI) The Tamil Tiger rebels today demanded the Sri Lankan government and the Norwegian facilitators ''to guarantee the safety and safe passage'' for the LTTE negotiating team through Katunayake International airport to attend the second round of direct talks in Geneva in mid-April.

According to the Tamilnet website, LTTE's London-based chief negotiator and political strategist, Anton Balasingham has made ''this specific request for the security of the negotiating team,'' when he met Norwegian Development Minister, Erik Solheim yesterday at his residence in London.

''The LTTE will participate at the second session of peace negotiations in Geneva during 19-21 April provided the Sri Lankan government and the Norwegian facilitators guarantee the safety and safe passage of the negotiating team through Colombo Katunayake international airport,'' Mr Balasingham has been quoted as saying after the meeting with the outgoing Norwegian special envoy.

According to Mr Balasingham, the Norwegian envoy has assured to convey the security concerns of the LTTE leadership, when he meets President Rajapakse in Colombo next week.

Expressing ''deep disillusionment'' over the government's reluctance to disarm Tamil paramilitaries, Mr Balasingham has informed the Norwegian facilitators that the peace process could not move forward ''until paramilitaries are disarmed and their violent activities are brought to an end.'' ''The agenda for the second round of talks will definitely be about disarming the Tamil paramilitaries, if the government fails to take action to contain them, as pledged during the first session of Geneva talks,'' Mr Balasingham has told the Norwegian facilitators.

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