LTTE reaffirms commitment to CFA
In a series of meetings with the facilitators to the peace process, Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing reaffirmed LTTE’s continued commitment to the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) with the Government of Sri Lanka signed in February 2002, in the context of the post-Geneva status.
 The LTTE delegation arrived in Oslo on 27 February 2006 and had meetings commencing 28 February with State Secretary Ms.Anne Margareth Fagertun Stenhammer, and State Secretary Mr.Raymond Johansen of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The delegation also met with MP Olav Akselsen of the Labour Party, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committeesss and MP Jan Petersen, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs and current Chairman of Defence Committee in the MFA complex. 
On 1 March 2006, the delegation met with MP Thorbjorn Jagland of the Labour Party, President of the Parliament and Member of the Standing Committee on Defence and the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee and Oslo Labour Party leader Mr.Jan Bohler.The delegation also visited the Nobel Institute and had a meeting with Mr.Geir Lundestad, Secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. Mr.Tamilselvan reaffirmed LTTE’s continued commitment to the CFA and the peace process and reiterated that the government of Sri Lanka should fulfill its obligations in the CFA to bring about normalcy and ensure that the para_militaries are disarmed and sent away from the Tamil homeland as agreed upon in the CFA and ratified by the government delegation in the Geneva talks. 
Later in the day today the delegation met with MP Ms.Laila Davoy, Member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Political Advisor Odd Jostein Soeter from
the Chrisatian Democratic Party
The delegation’s last meeting in Oslo was with Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr in the parliament complex. Receiving the delegation, the minister congratulated LTTE for the bold step taken in the right direction and requested a briefing from Mr.Tamilselvan on the ground situation and the prospects of the next meeting in Geneva and future progress in the peace process. Responding to the minister, Mr.Tamilselvan assured LTTE’s continued commitment to the CFA and the peace process. Thanking Norway for the new initiative in bringing the parties to the table after a lapse of nearly two years, Mr.Tamilselvan said that implementation of the CFA in the context of the violent situation that prevailed prior to Minister Eric Solheim’s visit, is the key to bring about normalcy in the life of the people affected by two decades of war and tsunami devastation. Asked whether the LTTE has hopes in the government’s pledge in Geneva to implement the CFA’s clause relating to the activities of the para military groups, Mr.Tamilselvan said that reports attributed to government circles in Colombo in connection with the understanding reached in Geneva seem to indicate confusion and contradictions. However, Mr.Tamilselvan said the LTTE would watch the unfolding events with caution and fulfill its obligations as agreed upon in Geneva and look forward to making progress in the peace process. The minister assured Norway government’s fullest co:operation to Minister Eric Solheim to take forward the process successfully with international support.
03 March 2006
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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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