'No major breakthrough but we are working hard to bring the parties together soon'
In a meeting with much public anticipation relative to any breakthrough in the stalled peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr. Erik Soulheim, the Norwegian Special Envoy said "there is no major breakthrough I can speak of at the moment but we as facilitators are working hard to bring both the parties to the negotiating table soon."
 Mr. Erik Solheim accompanied by H.E. the Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar arrived in Kilinochchi today 30th June 2004 by an SLAF helicopter. The Special Envoy and the Ambassador had a meeting with Mr. S. P. Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing in its Head Quarters. The Norwegian team briefed Mr. Tamilselvan of the meetings they had in Colombo with Foreign Minister Laksman Kadirkamar, Government Officials and the Leader of the opposition Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. At the outset the Ambassador told Mr. Tamilselvan that he has conveyed the concerns of Mr. Tamilselvan discussed in the last meeting to the government. Referring to the response of Laksman Kadirkamar on the issue of SLBC Tamil service accommodating the vicious campaign against the LTTE carried on by TBC in London the Ambassador said that the Minister promised to look into it and rectify any lapses. Mr. Tamilselvan told Norwegian team that the Tamil people and their elected parliamentary representatives are seriously concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Batticaloa, Amparai. The Head of the Political Wing briefed the Norwegian team on the Tamil perception of the government's duplicity in allowing the military intelligence division in Batticaloa, Amparai to aid and abate Karuna's men to carry out killings and abductions. A serious situation had arisen, Mr. Tamilselvan said that many journalists and academics are leaving Batticaloa consequent to threats and intimidation by Karuna's men. "If this situation is allowed to continue, Mr. Tamilselvan said, it will jeopardise the CFA and the entire peace process. The Norwegian team is expected to meet the President tomorrow and assured that they will convey the sentiments expressed by Mr. Tamilselvan. Associated with Mr. Tamilselvan in the meeting were Mr. P. Nadesan, Head of the Tamil Eelam Police and Mr. S. Puleedevan, Director of the Peace Secretariat.
30 June 2004
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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