Heads of Mission
for France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland
and the United Kingdom in Sri Lanka sent a letter, dated
27 May 2003, addressed to Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke,
Director General of the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the
Peace Process (SCOPP), and Mr S P Tamilselvan, Head of the
Political Division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE). In the letter, the Government of Sri Lanka and the
LTTE are urged to pursue a political settlement based on
a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka, as declared
in Oslo in December 2002.
The envoys emphasized the importance of
streamlining delivery structures relating to rehabilitation
and development activity. They also called on the parties
to agree on an efficient mechanism to address development
needs of the North and East.
As prospective contributors to the North
East Reconstruction Fund (NERF), the envoys indicated
a commitment towards collaborative mechanisms to reinforce
the vital relationship factor between the two parties.
In the letter, the envoys pointed out
that as donors they have to act as responsible partners
in the peace process and indicated the need for achieving
progress on substantive issues. They further stated: “we
intend that our pledges at Tokyo reflect the link between
development assistance and progress in negotiating and
implementing a political settlement”.
The two parties were requested to
clarify the human rights, governance and political principles
on which a settlement will be based.