Tamil Tigers threaten to boycott Geneva II

The LTTE has threatened to boycott the second round of talks with the Govt to be held in Geneva from April 19, reports PK Balachandran.

The LTTE has threatened to boycott the second round of peace talks with the Sri Lankan government to be held in Geneva from April 19 to 21, if the government does not restore air transport facility to its commanders wanting to move from one LTTE-controlled area to another.

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The LTTE's political wing leader, SP Tamilselvan, told the Co-chair of the Tokyo donors' conference in Kilinochchi on Monday, that the government was putting "new conditions" for the transport of its Eastern commanders wanting to attend the organisation's central committee meeting to be held ahead of the Geneva talks.

The government had denied air transport to the commanders and offered sea passage instead.

This is not acceptable to the LTTE.

The LTTE insists that air transport be provided, with the Scandinavian truce monitors on board, as per the practice existing since the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) was signed in February 2002.

"We are awaiting a positive response from the Scandinavian monitors that would enable us to make a decision (on attending the Geneva talks)," Tamilselvan told the Co-Chair.

Tamilselvan appealed to the Sri Lankan government to stick to existing arrangements and "not fall prey to political machinations of extremist elements that are keen to disrupt the (peace) process."