Sri Lanka expresses deep concern to Norway

(October 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has conveyed the deep concern and condemnation of the Government of Sri Lanka to the Norwegian Government over a meeting held by the Advisory Committee for the formation of the Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (PTGTE) in Oslo, Norway this month.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama summoned the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mr. Tore Hattrem on 13th October 2009 and informed him that the Government of Sri Lanka had learnt of a meeting in Oslo, Norway by LTTE front organizations where an action plan for the establishment of a PTGTE had been formulated.

He said that that it was a matter of serious concern to note that the LTTE and its proxies were meeting and operating in Norway. The Minister pointed out that the bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Norway being strong, such activities and meetings should not be permitted by Norway to take place on her soil. Foreign Minister Bogollagama also maintained that such meetings would only lead to what the LTTE had been seeking all these years, of a separate state, and that Norway should not allow activities which are a threat to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.

Responding to Foreign Minister Bogollagama, Ambassador Hattrem stated that his Government shared Sri Lanka’s concern and reiterated that Norway has been against the call for a separate state and had remained consistent on this issue. He also rubbished the notion of a Transnational Government and reemphasised that the Norwegian Government would not tolerate any activities against a friendly country like Sri Lanka and added that Norway was committed to the various resolutions of the UN Security Council to combat terrorism. He further stated that the Norwegian law enforcement authorities remained vigilant and any suspicious activities connected to terrorism or those which had a potential to turn violent or illegal would be dealt with according to the laws of the country. Ambassador Hattrem, however, conceded that his country encountered difficulties in preventing cross border travelling of activists sympathetic to the LTTE but assured that anyone found violating Norwegian laws would be dealt with appropriately.

While acknowledging the Ambassador’s remarks and Norway’s commitment in preventing terrorist activities on her soil, Foreign Minister Bogollagama cautioned that the LTTE operatives continued to carry out activities under various guises and stated that though their shades may be different and variant, they were all heading towards the same direction. He also stated that such events were part of a wider agenda of what remained of the terrorist organisation and should not be allowed to progress.

Concluding the interaction, the Foreign Minister reiterated the concerns of the Government of Sri Lanka and requested the Norwegian Ambassador to respond to the Government of Sri Lanka’s concern on this issue.

-Sri Lanka Guardian