01-24-2005, 07:08 PM
நோர்வே பிரதி வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் விடார் ஹெல்ஹிஸன் இன்று ராணுவ உலங்கு வானூர்தி மூலம் கிளிநொச்சிக்கு பறந்து சென்று தமிழ்செல்வனை சந்தித்துள்ளார்..........
இச்சந்திப்பு சுமார் 2 மணி நேரம் நடை பெற்றதாக கூறிய புலிகளின் பேச்சாளர் தயா மாஸ்டர் மேலதிக விபரங்களை வெளியிடவில்லை.....
Monday January 24, 7:59 PM
Norwegian envoy holds surprise talks with Tamil rebels on tsunami aid
A top Norwegian envoy held surprise talks Monday with a Tamil Tiger rebel leader on setting up a new way to distribute tsunami aid that would give the guerrillas more oversight of aid headed for territory they control.
Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen flew by military helicopter to the rebel-held northern town of Kilinochchi for an unexpected meeting with S.P. Thamilselvan, the rebels' top political leader, government and rebel officials said on condition of anonymity.
The meeting came a day after Helgesen held similar talks with government officials aimed at setting up a joint body between the government and rebels to ensure an equitable distribution of aid in guerrilla-held areas.
Participating in a joint body would give the rebels a recognized role in aid disbursement. The government has so far insisted that all international aid go through its hands to ensure greater efficiency.
Rebel spokesman Daya Master said Monday's meeting lasted two hours, but he had no details about the "common mechanism" under discussion to coordinate aid deliveries.
Other officials said talks also were under way about who would manage a fund channeling the aid. The World Bank was the most likely option.
Peter Harrold, the World Bank chief in Colombo, said he was waiting to hear whether his organization would have a role. "We have certainly stated our willingness to do so," he told The Associated Press.
Most international donors are reluctant to give funds directly to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam, which is banned as a terrorist group in five countries, including the United States and India.
The intention to create a joint body to oversee aid was announced after Norway's Foreign Minister Jan Petersen met reclusive rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran on Saturday.
If an agreement is reached, it would mark the first time that the government and Tamil Tigers worked together on a political level since peace talks broke down two years ago.
Since the tsunami, local task forces comprised of representatives from the government, the rebels and international aid agencies have coordinated relief on the ground.
The rebels have repeatedly accused the government of failing to give a fair share of supplies to northern and eastern parts of the island nation under rebel control. The government denies the allegations.
On Tuesday, representatives from Norway, Japan, the United States and the European Union were scheduled to meet in Brussels, Belgium to discuss how tsunami relief can help Sri Lanka's moribund peace process.
Norway brokered a cease-fire between the parties in 2002, halting a 19-year war that left about 65,000 people dead.
Helgesen canceled a planned trip to the tsunami-hit east coast to attend Monday's meeting, and was expected to head home later in the day. Hans Brattskar, Norway's ambassador in Colombo, was to continue the discussions.
Meanwhile, the rebels released a statement calling for Tamils on the island and those living overseas to light lamps in "a day of national mourning" for tsunami victims on Wednesday _ one month after the disaster.
At least 31,000 Sri Lankans were killed in the Dec. 26 tsunami, with some estimates ranging beyond 38,000. About 1 million were displaced.
Associated Press
இச்சந்திப்பு சுமார் 2 மணி நேரம் நடை பெற்றதாக கூறிய புலிகளின் பேச்சாளர் தயா மாஸ்டர் மேலதிக விபரங்களை வெளியிடவில்லை.....
Monday January 24, 7:59 PM
Norwegian envoy holds surprise talks with Tamil rebels on tsunami aid
A top Norwegian envoy held surprise talks Monday with a Tamil Tiger rebel leader on setting up a new way to distribute tsunami aid that would give the guerrillas more oversight of aid headed for territory they control.
Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen flew by military helicopter to the rebel-held northern town of Kilinochchi for an unexpected meeting with S.P. Thamilselvan, the rebels' top political leader, government and rebel officials said on condition of anonymity.
The meeting came a day after Helgesen held similar talks with government officials aimed at setting up a joint body between the government and rebels to ensure an equitable distribution of aid in guerrilla-held areas.
Participating in a joint body would give the rebels a recognized role in aid disbursement. The government has so far insisted that all international aid go through its hands to ensure greater efficiency.
Rebel spokesman Daya Master said Monday's meeting lasted two hours, but he had no details about the "common mechanism" under discussion to coordinate aid deliveries.
Other officials said talks also were under way about who would manage a fund channeling the aid. The World Bank was the most likely option.
Peter Harrold, the World Bank chief in Colombo, said he was waiting to hear whether his organization would have a role. "We have certainly stated our willingness to do so," he told The Associated Press.
Most international donors are reluctant to give funds directly to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam, which is banned as a terrorist group in five countries, including the United States and India.
The intention to create a joint body to oversee aid was announced after Norway's Foreign Minister Jan Petersen met reclusive rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran on Saturday.
If an agreement is reached, it would mark the first time that the government and Tamil Tigers worked together on a political level since peace talks broke down two years ago.
Since the tsunami, local task forces comprised of representatives from the government, the rebels and international aid agencies have coordinated relief on the ground.
The rebels have repeatedly accused the government of failing to give a fair share of supplies to northern and eastern parts of the island nation under rebel control. The government denies the allegations.
On Tuesday, representatives from Norway, Japan, the United States and the European Union were scheduled to meet in Brussels, Belgium to discuss how tsunami relief can help Sri Lanka's moribund peace process.
Norway brokered a cease-fire between the parties in 2002, halting a 19-year war that left about 65,000 people dead.
Helgesen canceled a planned trip to the tsunami-hit east coast to attend Monday's meeting, and was expected to head home later in the day. Hans Brattskar, Norway's ambassador in Colombo, was to continue the discussions.
Meanwhile, the rebels released a statement calling for Tamils on the island and those living overseas to light lamps in "a day of national mourning" for tsunami victims on Wednesday _ one month after the disaster.
At least 31,000 Sri Lankans were killed in the Dec. 26 tsunami, with some estimates ranging beyond 38,000. About 1 million were displaced.
Associated Press