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| Sunday, 20 March 2005 |
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Joint relief mechanism : Govt responds to LTTE by Ranga Jayasuriya The government last week responded to what a Peace Secretariat official described as the LTTE's overall reactions to the joint mechanism for the post-tsunami relief and reconstruction in the North East. The LTTE early last week conveyed its proposals to the government through the Norwegian facilitators, with the LTTE Political Chief, S. P. Thamilselvan describing them as formulated with "a maximum flexibility". "We received LTTE's overall reactions to the formation of the mechanism and we have conveyed our response to the LTTE through the Norwegian facilitators," a senior official of the Peace Secretariat told the Sunday Observer. He said there were still differences between the two parties on few issues and the government in its response conveyed to the LTTE last week had "differences of opinion" on some issues. "There is an agreement on several issues. But, still, there are differences. And negotiations will continue". He rejected the reports of a Norwegian drafted proposal on the joint mechanism, but added that Norwegians have given "some formulations" based on understanding reached in the negotiations between the government and the LTTE. "There is a greater deal of agreement during the negotiations. Based on that the Norwegians have given a formula," he said. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was quoted in the left leaning British press Guardian, in referring to the discussions on joint mechanism: "There is movement towards an agreed text. There is no sticking point now". The Guardian also quoted diplomatic sources that an agreement on the mechanism would be reached within next week. The government earlier suggested a three-tiered mechanism - district, regional and national levels to coordinate the post tsunami relief and reconstruction in the North-East. The two parties have already agreed on the composition of the mechanism
which will have five Tamils, three Muslims and two Sinhala as members. The
LTTE has demanded the World Bank to be the custodian of a special fund
created for the post tsunami relief and reconstruction in the North-East. |
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