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| Thursday, 16 October 2003 |
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Copenhagen, Wednesday (AFP) Denmark yesterday urged resumption of peace talks in Sri Lanka, warning that a unique opportunity for peace and stability will be lost if the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) do not commit themselves fully to the stalled peace process. A foreign ministry statement here followed talks between the LTTE and Danish officials. Denmark's neighbour Norway is playing a key role in brokering peace in the island. A foreign ministry statement said Denmark considered it essential that the suspended peace talks be resumed between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE and that the Tigers commit themselves fully to the process, otherwise a unique opportunity to achieve peace and stability will have been lost. The visiting Tamil delegation had shared this point of view, said senior Danish foreign ministry official Peter Lyholt Hansen. Tuesday's talks in Copenhagen focused on proposals by the Sri Lankan government to set up a provisional administration in the North and East of the island nation, said Hansen. A response by LTTE to the government proposal is expected by the end of this month and will be conveyed by Norwegian mediators to the Sri Lankan government. The LTTE concluded a meeting in Ireland at the weekend on proposals to be submitted to the Colombo government through Norwegian peace brokers. Hansen recalled that the Danish Parliament had last March earmarked 156 million kronor (21 million euros/24.6 million dollars) for a three-year aid programme to support the peace process. The LTTE delegation also visited Copenhagen's Danish Human Rights Institute and a centre for the rehabilitation of victims of torture. They later left for Oslo. The current peace bid is based on a ceasefire which has been in place since February 23 last year. It is the longest truce in the island's drawn-out conflict. The LTTE group here was led by S.P. Thamilchelvan, head of the political branch of the LTTE. |
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