Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Direct Talks on Implementation of Cease-fire Agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

January 26, 2006

The Government of Japan welcomes that the Government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), through the facilitation of the Government of Norway, have agreed to commence talks on the implementation of Cease-fire Agreement in mid February in Geneva, Switzerland. The Government of Japan commends the role of Norway as facilitator in bringing about this important agreement.
The Government of Japan strongly hopes that escalating violence in the North and East will be stopped, and actual talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and LTTE will commence at an earliest possible date.
The Government of Japan also hopes that the peace process will be reinvigorated through such talks. The Government of Japan remains committed to supporting the efforts of the parties to the conflict towards achieving a lasting peace through pursuing the negotiated settlement of the conflict.

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