Norway issues notice to Lanka, LTTE on truce

Colombo, June 9 : Norway has issued ''notice'' to both the Sri Lanka government and Tamil Tiger rebels and requested them ''to respond in writing to five critical questions'', including their commitment to uphold the four-year ceasefire agreement, to decide its future course of action.

''The Royal Norwegian Government is profoundly concerned with the gravity of the situation on the ground, objection by the LTTE to collaborate with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) with its present composition, lack of dialogue between the two parties, and doubts voiced by many about their continued full commitment to the ceasefire agreement,'' a statement issued yesterday by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said.

The statement, which was released today by the Colombo embassy, said ''On this background, the Royal Norwegian Government has deemed it necessary to take the unprecedented step of requesting both the parties, through letters to President Mahinda Rajapakse and the LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran, to provide responses in writing to five critical questions.'' The LTTE blindsided mediator Norway yesterday by refusing to meet Sri Lankan government for talks in Oslo about the safety of truce monitors.

They demanded the withdrawal of SLMM monitors, which would reduce the mission by two-thirds to just 20 people from non-EU members Norway and Iceland, from the European Union countries, that have blacklisted them as terrorists.

In addition to demanding a reply from the parties, the Norwegian facilitators have asked certain questions including whether the parties wanted ''continued existence and operation of the SLMM, whether they ensure safety and security for SLMM members and whether they accept amendments to the truce pact aiming for its best operation.

''The responses by the parties will determine the steps to be taken by the Royal Norwegian Government and the SLMM, in close partnership with others in the international community,'' the Norwegian statement said.

Describing the escalating violence as ''breach of the ceasefire agreement'', the facilitators said the situation ''is intolerable for the civilian population and a cause of great concern to the international community''.

On the LTTE's refusal to meet the Colombo delegation in Oslo yesterday, The facilitators regretted and said ''it was not possible to hold the foreseen and much needed meeting between Colombo and the LTTE to assess the difficult situation on the ground and address the safety and security of the SLMM.

''After accepting the Norwegian invitation in Norway, the LTTE raised objections to the previously communicated intentions and modalities for the meeting. This was the reason for the meeting not being held,'' the statement said.

Norway said ''The LTTE has informed it that the organisation is not ready to accept SLMM monitors originating from states, which separately or by membership in international organisations have included the LTTE on lists for the application of specific measures to combat terrorism.'' Claiming that 37 of 57 SLMM monitors were originating from these countries, the Norway said ''its effort to find a future solution to this issue have been seriously hampered by not being able to address this urgent issue in the presence of both parties in Oslo.'' However, the Sri Lankan delegates are expected to return today from the talks in Oslo.

UNI