International

`Norway's role undermines Sri Lanka's sovereignty'

COLOMBO MARCH 1. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, has said that the nature of the role assigned to Norway in monitoring the truce agreement with the LTTE compromised Sri Lanka's sovereignty and demanded amendments to recast Oslo's role.

``I observe that the powers and functions which by the agreement are vested in the Norwegian Government travel far beyond the role of a facilitator for the expected negotiations towards a political agreement,''Ms. Kumaratunga said in an 11- page letter to Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, last night.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, to be set up under the accord, will be headed by a Norwegian and will be the final arbiter in interpreting its terms and the sole authority to decide disputes over `lines of control' that will separate the armed units of the Army and the LTTE.

``This is the first time in the history of post- independent Sri Lanka that a foreign Government is being authorised to draw demarcation lines on the soil of Sri Lanka'', she said in her first detailed response to the ceasefire.

``The submission of such matters to the binding authority of an individual nominated by a foreign Government appears to be wholly inconsistent with the sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka,'' she said.

PTI

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