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Talks between the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Tamil Tigers in Geneva were “difficult” but the parties expressed satisfaction on the agreement to halt violence that brought the country to the brink of the civil war. Head of the GOSL team, minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told BBC Sandeshaya that the team was happy that the parites agreed to hold one more round of talks within weeks. “Talks weren’t easy. But they were held in a cordial and an open manner,” he told Upali Gajanayake at Chateau de Bossey after the two-day talks. Confidence building Addressing the journalists separately after the talks, LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham said that both the parties made serious commitment to fully implement the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) signed in 2002.
Leader of the House de Silva, who described the CFA as “illegal and against the constitution” in the opening remarks, said that he was happy that the parties entered into a process of confidence building. LTTE police chief S Nadesan told Upali Gajanayake that the Tigers will now “wait and sea” how the government implement the agreement. The success of the negotiation process, he said, will depend upon the action by the government to fully implement the CFA. LTTE police chief Both parties agreed to stop violence activities against each other, according to the statement issued after the talks by the Norwegian Minister for International Development, Erik Solheim. It said: “The LTTE is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that there will be no acts of violence against the security forces and police. The GOSL is committed to taking all necessary measures in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement to ensure that no armed group or person other than Government security forces will carry arms or conduct armed operations.” Media spokesman of the government delegation, Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, said the parties came out “with results that appealed to the people of Sri Lanka” after meeting for the first time “48 hours ago.” | LOCAL LINKS  Statement of Geneva Talks23 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya Next talks 19th April in Geneva23 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya "Be flexible" says the Co-chairs.23 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya Parties stick to their guns22 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya Anti-Tiger protest in Geneva22 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The LTTE is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that there will be no acts of violence against the security forces and police. The GOSL is committed to taking all necessary measures in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement to ensure that no armed group or person other than Government security forces will carry arms or conduct armed operations
