By Franklin R. Satyapalan
Moves to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a permanent truce has run into obstacles with LTTE demanding that permanent ceasefire be extended to sea with United National Front (UNF) Govt. wanting it to be effective only on land and not the sea, as it wants the Navy to thwart any LTTE moves to unload arms well informed sources told ‘The Island’ yesterday.

This was while Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Jon Westborg who was in the four member Norwegian delegation that met with LTTE spokesman Dr. Anton Balasingham in London on last Monday January 28th came to Sri Lanka last week. Mr. Westborg briefed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and minister of constitutional Affairs Prof. G. L. Pieris on latest developments in this connection and obtained their counter proposals which were conveyed to Norwegian Foreign Ministry for a delegation from Norway to meet Mr. Balasingham for third consecutive meeting in London scheduled for yesterday.

These developments came amidst signals from LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham, Norwegian Ambassador Jon Westborg and Minister G. L. Pieris to media last week that things were moving in right direction without obstacles for a MOU to be signed by February 19th Tuesday 2002 were contrary to these latest development in this connection.

The LTTE had stated that it had sufficient arms and that the truce should be effective on land, sea and air every where without any obstacles.

The other proposal by the LTTE was that LTTE cadres should be allowed free movement any where in the South in cleared areas during the truce and government wanted the LTTE to stay out of cleared areas as they may try to enlist new cadres which has been denied by LTTE that it had sufficient cadres in hand.