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PA
seeks dialogue with LTTE on CFA The move, part of many overtures to resume a direct dialogue between her and the LTTE, had been made by Defence Secretary Cyril Herath in a letter sent directly to Prabagan alias Pulithevan, the Head of the guerrilla Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi. In the same letter, Mr. Herath is said to have assuaged LTTE fears about the future of the Ceasefire Agreement. The Sunday Times reliably learns that the LTTE has not responded to this letter so far. According to diplomatic sources in Colombo, the LTTE has only brought this to the attention of the Norwegian facilitators. The UNF Government that signed the Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE on February 22, 2002 conducted all its communications with the LTTE through the Norwegian facilitators, these sources said. Mr. Herath's letter calling for a direct dialogue with the LTTE over the Ceasefire Agreement was in marked contrast to the previous position taken by him. When SLMM acting chief Hagrup Haukland called on him to discuss the future of the Ceasefire Agreement soon after President Kumaratunga had taken over the defence, interior and mass communication portfolios, he advised them to keep in touch with the UNF's Peace Secretariat about matters relating to the Ceasefire Agreement. The Sunday Times revealed this exclusively in its report on November 30, 2003. In this report Mr. Hauckland was quoted as saying, "It was confirmed on Friday, at a meeting with the Defence Secretary that we should be in contact with the Peace Secretariat. We clarified our position with the Defence Secretary as he is new. We were told that if we need to know anything and cooperate and sort out anything with the Government side, we do it with the Peace Secretariat". Asked to comment on his letter to the LTTE, Defence Secretary Herath said, "I have no comment to make on the matter. If the LTTE has made any statement, you can report that". The Sunday Times learns that the direct dialogue to make sure the Ceasefire Agreement worked without hitch was part of moves by President Kumaratunga to pave the way for the LTTE to have direct peace talks with her. Whilst taking this initiative, President Kumaratunga is also learnt to have offered the LTTE to set up a multi-million rupee children's hospital in Kilinochchi. The message had been conveyed to the guerrilla leadership in Kilinochchi through informal contact now under way by intermediaries. One such intermediary is said to be the son of a principal of a private school. A People's Alliance source who confirmed his role said, "he remained a gateway through which several goodwill messages had been exchanged between the two sides". It was only four months ago President Kumaratunga accused the LTTE of strengthening its military machine. In the wake of this, she accused the UNF of inaction particularly over the guerrilla buildup in Trincomalee, and took over the defence, interior and mass communication portfolios. |
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