by Franklin R. Satyapalan
LTTE theoretician, Anton Balasingham, in an interview on Sudar Oli on Sunday night from London said "I did not wish to go to India to create problems, only to make peace. It was amusing to find that the very India which earlier prepared us to fight, granting all assistance, is today attempting to ward us off by saying no to us when we state that we wish to come to India for the sake of peace".

Balasingham was firm that if any talks between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE should take place only in South India, according to Sudar Oli.

Balasingham is said to have expressed his sorrow that certain organisations and individuals were not taking into question the humanitarian nature of his request and were making a political issue of it.

Sudar Oli had asked him why political parties in India did not wish him to stay in India during talks and whether he would be willing to operate from Kathmandu, to which he had responded that there were two reasons why it is imperative that he should remain in South India; his deteriorating health and the need to be in contact with LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during discussions.

He said he was under medical observation following a kidney transplant operation and had to undergo medical examination regularly at a hospital which had appropriate modern facilities. Such hospitals did not exist in Sri Lanka and only hospitals such as the one in Bangalore and Thiruvanandapuram in South India had these facilities, according to him. He also said that he could not reach Prabhakaram directly if and when needed if talks were held in Europe.

Appeals have been made to the Indian government in writing through Oslo for permission to hold talks there. The Norwegian delegation would be meeting Balasingham in London today and would be informing him of their decision, Balasingham said.