Saturday 12 January 2008

The Hindu: Co-Chairs ask Colombo to finalise devolution plan

COLOMBO: The Tokyo Co-Chairs (Norway, Japan, U.S. and E.U.) of Sri Lanka on Saturday jointly expressed their strong concerns about the termination of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement by the government of Sri Lanka and urged it to finalise the “politically sustainable devolution plan” amid claims by the military that at least 81 cadres of the LTTE were killed in clashes in the north.

A statement issued here said that the Co-Chairs articulated their concerns in individual statements. “The Co-Chairs support a continued Norwegian role as facilitator. The Co-Chairs emphasise their belief that there is no military solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka, and reiterate their support for a negotiated settlement.

“Thus, they urge the government of Sri Lanka to finalise a politically sustainable devolution plan; urge all parties to comply with their obligations under international law to protect civilians and allow access by humanitarian aid agencies to populations in need; express deep concern about the human rights situation and protection of civilians in Sri Lanka, and call for continued monitoring of the human rights situation by such means as to assure an appropriate role for the U.N. and request the government of Sri Lanka provide access to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Kilinochchi for representatives of the Co-Chairs and the facilitator.”

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