The Sri Lanka delegation for the third round of peace talks to begin in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, tomorrow has been charged with the task of discussing three vital issues this time around. These are the utilisation of the US dollars 70 million pledged at the November 25 Oslo Donor Parley; consolidation of the ceasefire now in force as agreed in the earlier peace talks held in Thailand; and the enforcement of the law and order situation in the High Security Zones in the North and East, according to political sources.

The government delegation to tomorrow’s peace talks will be headed by Ministers, Professor G.L. Peiris, Milinda Morgoda, Rauf Hakeem, Defence Secretary Austin Fernando, Major General Shantha Kottegoda and Mr. Bernard Gunatilleke.  Mr. Moragoda was expected to brief Indian leaders in New Delhi yesterday before flying to Oslo.

The LTTE delegation will comprise Dr. Anton Balasingham, Mrs. Adele Balasingham, political wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvam, LTTE’s Batticaloa and Ampara military commander Karuna, Joy Maheswaran and T. Rudrakumar. 

Diplomats based in Oslo have told the AFP news agency that both the government and the LTTE were expected to agree on naming an international financial organisation to hold foreign aid in trust and handle disbursements, ensuring accountability demanded by donors.

“Western nations which have outlawed the Tigers are unable to give money directly to any body that includes the guerrillas, while the rebels themselves have been reluctant to see the Colombo government hold the purse strings.  Therefore both have agreed to having a third party receive and disburse aid, diplomats said, adding that a decision on the foreign money disbursement will be announced at the end of the talks on Thursday” an Oslo datelined AFP report said.  Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during the adjournment debate in the House of Friday on the Oslo donor parley said that the international community had expressed concern that Sri Lanka is slow in utilising international aid.  He also said that the government had taken serious note of this matter.  The  People’s Alliance and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna boycotted the debate and earned the wrath of the Tamil National Alliance and the latter charged that the PA and the JVP were hell-bent on sabotaging the peace process.

Meanwhile, a Foreign Ministry spokesman commenting on a news story filed on a website that Thailand has refused to host any future peace talks between the government and the LTTE dismissed it as utter nonsense and not worthy of comment.  Japan, where Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe has been invited for a five day official visit has indicated to the government that Japan was willing to host the peace talks and South Africa, too, has indicated her willingness to host peace talks.  The Premier will leave for Tokyo on Tuesday.