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Bala avoiding Akashi meeting
From Neville de Silva in London
LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham has turned down a meeting in London with Japan's special envoy Yakushi Akashi. Dr. Balasingham has said he will not be available to meet Mr Akashi who was hoping to arrive in London this week for talks with Dr. Balasingham following the LTTE boycott of the Tokyo meeting of the international donor community.

Mr. Akashi who was prepared to come to London to meet Dr. Balasingham was forced to postpone his visit. The Sunday Times learns that Dr. Balasingham had gone to Norway and then to Switzerland in an apparent move to avoid Mr. Akashi.

Last week the Japanese Embassy in London contacted Dr. Balasingham via his personal email as telephone calls generally go unanswered, to arrange a meeting with Mr. Akashi following the Tokyo summit.

In reply, Dr. Balasingham had indicated that he would not be available. Diplomatic sources said he had not given any reason for his inability to meet the Japanese special envoy.

Japanese Embassy sources here said that there were no plans for Mr Akashi to come to London now that a possible meeting with Dr. Balasingham had fallen through.

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