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| Sunday, 4 July 2004 |
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Security |  |
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LTTE softens meets Army by Ranga Jayasuriya The LTTE and Security Forces resumed routine security meetings in the North on Friday in a breakthrough in the suspended inter-party dialogue. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Deputy Chief Hagruph Haukland said the LTTE and Security Forces met in Jaffna to evaluate the security situation in the district. The LTTE, however, persists in its boycott of meetings with Security Forces in the East in protest against what it called an alleged army complicity with the renegade LTTE commander Karuna Jaffna army commander Major Gen. Susil Chandrapala and Police SSP Vanaguru met LTTE Jaffna political leader Illampathi in Jaffna to evaluate the security situation and the implementation of the truce agreement. "It is important because this helps diffuse any tensions and build mutual confidence," Haukland said adding that the two parties have agreed to meet in the North in a partial breakthrough in the suspended dialogue between the two parties. "They have agreed to meet in Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna districts, " he said He said the Tigers still insist on their boycott in meetings in the East, despite the efforts by the ceasefire monitors to bring them back to the talks. "We are pursuing them to resume meetings, but they are reluctant," he said. "This is partly because of lack of mutual trust in the East. The LTTE said they boycott meetings in the East since Army in the East is harbouring Karuna," Haukland said. Thamilselvam last week told the SLMM Chief Trond Furuhovde that the LTTE will not meet the security forces, accusing the army of harbouring Karuna's men, a charge denied by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and the Army commander, Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda. |
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