Selected Texts from the 1994-5 Negotiations Process This page reproduces excerpts from letters, exchanged in August/September 1994, between the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge and the Leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr.Veluppillai Pirabhakaran. Dear Mr. Pirabhakaran, You have welcomed the relaxation of the economic embargo by our government. You have also mentioned that this relaxation has showed the goodwill towards the people in the north by the new government. We appreciate the way you have responded to our goodwill gesture by releasing ten policemen who were in your custody for the past several years. We do not only consider this response as a goodwill gesture, but also appreciate it as an initiative in exploring a constructive settlement to the northeast crisis. We are keenly studying the message that you sent us expressing your willingness to participate in the negotiations. I urge you to nominate your representatives to commence talks with our representatives. We wish that the people in the north should get all the items currently permitted to be taken to Jaffna. Our representatives whom we are going to nominate for the initial round of talks could work out the modalities on the relaxation of the economic embargo.'
Dear Prime Minister, I received your letter with pleasure. We are happy to note your comment that the release of ten policemen who were in our custody, had showed our goodwill towards you. We welcome the keen interest you have shown towards the people in the north by relaxing the economic embargo and making the initiatives to see the people in the north are getting all items which come under the relaxation of the economic embargo. We too prefer that we sort out this problem and express our cooperation in this regard. Your government has decided to provide electricity to the north, and also to reconstruct the irrigation network and the factories. We appreciate these moves. Our organization will extend its fullest cooperation to your officials and experts by assisting them in the reconstruction activities. We welcome the positive response you have given to our willingness to participate in the negotiations. You wanted us to nominate representatives from our side to commence the initial round of talks. The representatives nominated for the preliminary round of talks by our organization are as follows:
We also regret that you have not mentioned anything on your part about a ceasefire. We are confident that you will understand that a ceasefire is very essential to create a conducive climate to have successful negotiations. Therefore, we feel that you will concentrate more on this particular issue. Text as published on the internet site: www.tamilnation.org |