The Norwegian
facilitators led by Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and accompanied
by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, Ambassador Hans
Brattskar and Norwegian Foreign Ministry officials met the
LTTE leader V Pirapaharan on Thursday 15 May in Kilinochchi.
At the meeting, the LTTE indicated the
need to establish a formal mechanism which incorporates
administrative and financial structures that would facilitate
the efficient implementation of rehabilitation and development
activity in the North and East. The LTTE was of the opinion
that the Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation
Needs in the North and East (SIHRN), which was mooted
during the second session of peace talks, was inadequate
in this regard.
On their return to Colombo, the Norwegian
delegation briefed the Prime Minister on matters raised
by the LTTE. In response, the Prime Minister pointed out
that the government had agreed in principle to review
the current mandate of SIHRN and its possible expansion.
This was indicated to the LTTE at the sixth session of
peace talks in Hakone, Japan. However, the Government
stated that an expanded mandate should not be viewed as
an end in itself. Rather, it must have a link to the political
road map or plan that would sequence the manner in which
substantive issues are addressed.
The Prime Minister stated that the political
road map was to be tabled for discussion at the next session
of peace talks, which has been temporarily suspended.
The expanded mandate of SIHRN needs to be linked as a
phased approach to the progress achieved on the political
path. Furthermore, it was pointed out that many of the
donors required a mechanism of indicators which demonstrated
progress in the peace process.
In an effort to address the issues
raised by the LTTE and the responses by the Government,
the Norwegian delegation discussed the merits of formulating
a conceptual negotiating approach for the future of the
peace process. The approach would attempt to establish
a nexus between the oversight of development activity,
normalization measures and progress on substantive political
issues. The conceptual negotiating approach discussed
with the Government was submitted to the LTTE by Norwegian
Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen on Saturday 17
May. The LTTE stated that it required time to discuss
the matter with the leadership.