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Govt, LTTE coy to talk in Oslo
Both the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have reacted cautiously to a proposal by Norway for a high-level meeting of the two sides in Oslo on June 8 and 9 to discuss the working of the Ceasefire Agreement.

This is against the backdrop of the impending European Union ban on the LTTE and the future of monitors from Sweden, Denmark and Finland who are members of the EU.

Invitations for the Oslo meeting were contained in letters Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim wrote to the Government and LTTE chief peace negotiator Anton Balasingham. He said the Oslo meeting had become necessary in view of the imminent European Union ban on the LTTE. Whilst the letter to the Government was delivere in Colombo, Mr. Balasingham had received his copy in London on Thursday.

The Sunday Times learns the Government has told Norway to first ascertain the views of the LTTE over the invitation. That was the Government's official position.

However, a high ranking source who spoke on grounds of anonymity said the Government was of the view that such a high-level meeting need not be held outside Sri Lanka since it involved only the issue of monitors from three EU member countries.

"We feel Norway could resolve the matter through diplomatic channels after consulting us and the LTTE. Hence, there is no need for a separate meeting. Moreover, we met in Geneva in February to discuss the CFA. Further discussions were not possible since the LTTE did not attend the second round," the source said.

Asked whether Norway's proposal was an effort to soften tomorrow's meeting of the European Union Council of Ministers where a ban on the LTTE is almost a certainty, the source declined to comment.

The Norwegian invitation figured prominently in discussions Oslo's Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer held in Kilinochchi with LTTE Political Wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan yesterday.

According to reports from the Wanni, Mr. Thamilselvan had told Mr. Bauer the LTTE would not respond officially to the Norwegian invitation to send a high-level team to Oslo until after May 30. This is until the meeting of the Donor Co-chairs to the peace process is concluded in Tokyo and an official statement issued by them.

According to LTTE sources, the leadership in Kilinochchi had decided that in the event of a ban by the European Union, the guerrillas would urge the immediate withdrawal of monitors from Sweden, Denmark and Finland. It was the LTTE's view that such monitors would cease to hold their mandate to supervise the four-year-old ceasefire.

Tiger warning ahead of EU ban
The LTTE warned yesterday it would be forced to reconsider the relevance of the Ceasefire Agreement, if the European Union carries out its threat of proscribing the LTTE.

The International support to the facilitation of the peace process would be one of the deciding factors of the “continued tolerance” of the Tigers to the provocations of the Sri Lankan forces and its paramilitaries, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet website quoted LTTE's Political Wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan as saying.

“The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has already been engaged in a dangerous experiment of weakening the CFA. It has backtracked on many issues. And a proscription of the LTTE at this crucial juncture, would only benefit the GoSL agenda against the CFA,” Mr. Thamilselvan said.

"We look forward to the European Nations taking an active, unbiased and forceful role in supporting the activities of the facilitator in successfully contributing to the peace process,” he added.