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| Sunday, 6 July 2003 |
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Talks on sea security 'Law of the Sea' for LTTE by Hana Ibrahim The LTTE should adhere to the laws of the sea, both International and Maritime, if mid-sea clashes similar to the Mullaitivu incident are to be averted in the future, the Defence officials proposed to the SLMM last week. A four-member government delegation that met the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to discuss sea security on Friday, has requested the SLMM to convey this and other concerns about LTTE activities in the Northeast seas to the LTTE leadership. SLMM Chief Tryggve Tellefsen is expected to meet the LTTE Political Head S. Tamilselvan and Sea Tiger Commander Soosai in Kilinochchi next week. Defence Secretary Austin Fernando, who was part of the delegation, said they had conveyed to the SLMM delegation, the government's concern about LTTE activities in the Northeast seas and the need for all parties to adhere to the Laws of the Sea. "The SLMM will have to take up these issue with the LTTE, if sea security is to be maintained", he said adding that it is pointless for one party to adhere to the rules, when the other is violating it. Fernando, describing Friday's two and a half hour meeting that was aimed at reviving talks on sea security as 'a frank discussion' said that they had agreed that 'confrontation situation' had to be avoided at all cost, but not at the expense of the country's laws. He said, the delegation had conveyed to the SLMM the need for the LTTE to follow accepted procedure even when bringing in merchandise, as they had claimed with regard to the Mullaitivu incident. The delegation, Fernando said, had argued with the SLMM to accept the fact that the Sea Tigers could not be recognised as a naval force and that there cannot be two legal naval forces in operation. "Whatever we agree to, has to be within the constitution of the country and the law of the country," he said. The delegation had also convinced the SLMM that some of the demands made by the LTTE were unconstitutional and illegal. Fernando said that the SLMM delegation had agreed that the argument put forward by the government delegation were reasonable that they were agreeable to working out an acceptable arrangement, after discussing the matter with the LTTE leadership. The Sri Lankan delegation included Navy Commander Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri, Dr. Rohan Perera of the Foreign Ministry and Bernard Gunathilake Director General of the Peace Secretariat. |
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