Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 04, 2002
Monitors, Tamil Rebels to Discuss Entry to Sri Lanka's Northern Islands
The head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) supervising ceasefire between the government and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, retired General Trond Furuhevede, will meet rebel leaders this week in the rebel- held town of Kilinochchi to discuss their demand of entering islands off Jaffna peninsula, SLMM officials said.
The head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) supervising ceasefire between the government and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, retired General Trond Furuhevede, will meet rebel leaders this week in the rebel- held town of Kilinochchi to discuss their demand of entering islands off Jaffna peninsula, SLMM officials said.
The government has declared these islands off jaffna peninsula "military zones" and refused the entry by Tamil Tiger rebels. Furuhevede who discussed the issue earlier with naval force commanders in Jaffna will convey their decision to the rebels. The commanders had outlined certain regulations over rebel activity in the island which have been rejected by the rebels.
Deputy head of the SLMM Hagrup Haukland said the ceasefire was going very well but there were some complaints from the Tiger rebels over the army's delay to vacate places of worship and schools in the north.
The government troops and Tamil rebels are observing an indefinite ceasefire in terms of an agreement signed by the two sides in February. Both sides are expected to hold their direct peace talks in Thailand later this month or early July.