The second meeting of the first round of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) commenced at Rose Garden Hotel, in Nakorn Pathom, Thailand, this afternoon. The deliberations continued for nearly four hours in a cordial atmosphere.

The government delegation was headed by Hon. Prof. G. L. Peiris and consisted of Hon. Milinda Moragoda, Hon. Rauf Hakeem and Ambassador Bernard Goonatillake. The LTTE delegation was headed by Dr. Anton Balasingham and consisted of Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, Mr. V. Muralidaran (Karuna) and Mrs. Adele Balasingham.

Today’s (October 31) discussions were focused on the current situation in the Eastern Province and measures to improve conditions.

The meeting is expected to take up issues relating to the establishment of the Joint Task Force for Humanitarian and Reconstruction Activity in the North and East tomorrow
(November 1,2002).