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LTTE rules out participation in Tokyo aid meeting
Colombo, June 08: Sri Lanka`s Tamil Tiger rebels today stood by their decision to boycott an upcoming international donor conference in Tokyo.
Colombo, June 08: Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels today stood by their decision to boycott an upcoming international donor conference in Tokyo.
The rebels last month pulled out of peace talks with the Sri Lankan government and said they would boycott the Tokyo meeting, which starts tomorrow, because of the government's failure to speed up reconstruction of the island's war-battered northeast.
Japanese officials had hoped the rebels would decide to participate in the conference, which was expected to raise USD 3 billion to rebuild parts of Sri Lanka worst hit by its 19-year civil war.
A senior Japanese official yesterday said on condition of anonymity that the rebels' absence was likely to affect the amount of pledges at the conference, particularly from European donors.
"We have no plans to take part in the meeting because we have not got a favourable response from the government," rebel spokesman Daya Master today said.
The rebels have demanded an interim administration in the northeast as a condition for their participation in the conference, and their return to the negotiating table. Such an administration would give them more access to international aid.
So far, the Tigers have rejected two government proposals that would give them some administrative and financial powers.
An independent Sri Lankan newspaper today reported that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would propose an interim administration at the aid meeting tomorrow.
Bureau Report
Japanese officials had hoped the rebels would decide to participate in the conference, which was expected to raise USD 3 billion to rebuild parts of Sri Lanka worst hit by its 19-year civil war.
A senior Japanese official yesterday said on condition of anonymity that the rebels' absence was likely to affect the amount of pledges at the conference, particularly from European donors.
"We have no plans to take part in the meeting because we have not got a favourable response from the government," rebel spokesman Daya Master today said.
The rebels have demanded an interim administration in the northeast as a condition for their participation in the conference, and their return to the negotiating table. Such an administration would give them more access to international aid.
So far, the Tigers have rejected two government proposals that would give them some administrative and financial powers.
An independent Sri Lankan newspaper today reported that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would propose an interim administration at the aid meeting tomorrow.
Bureau Report