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UK calls for EU ban on LTTE - High Commission Spokesman

The United Kingdom is calling on the European Union (EU) to list the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist entity. A spokesman for the British High Commission in Colombo said that the UK is committed to combating terrorism in all its forms.

Responding to a question by 'The Island', The High Commission Spokesman said "We proscribed the LTTE in 2001. This has impacted on LTTE activities and fundraising in the UK. This proscription remains in place. The UK's national position is also clear that we support listing of the LTTE by the European Union as a terrorist entity." UK is the current President of the European Union.

Earlier reports said EU member states had put off a decision on Sri Lanka's call for sanctions against the LTTE following the assassination of foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar since a member of the European Union and Sri Lanka's peace facilitator Norway with the support of other Nordic countries had opposed any sanctions against the LTTE through the European Union.

Sri Lankan diplomats say the UK had been well briefed with adequate information on the latest activities of the LTTE. The diplomats expressed hope that the firm position taken by Britain as the President of the EU would expedite EU's decision to bring sanctions against the LTTE

The British High Commission spokesman in Colombo , also pointed out that UK as a member of the European Union , which is one of the Co-Chairs also had made clear their strong condemnation of the killing of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was allegedly assassinated by the LTTE at his residence on 12 August.

Emergency will not hinder poll

The Government yesterday assured that the Emergency Regulations now in force would not cause any disturbance to the Presidential Election.

"The Emergency Regulations will be implemented without causing any hindrance to the November 17 Presidential Election and the electioneering process," Public Security, Law and Order Minister and Deputy Defence Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told Parliament last evening.

He pledged to exercise the Emergency Regulations in a manner that will cause no harm to the public.

"We will make efforts to exercise these laws without any inconvenience to the public. If there is even any minor inconvenience, I request the public to bear with them."

Minister Wickremanayake explained that the regulations were necessary to effectively carry out security measures and operations.

He also stressed that the regulations are not against any community or persons. "This is not done with acrimony or rancour. These are not against the Tamil people. As a responsible Government, we have a responsibility to ensure protection for all the communities in this country."

The Minister said the Government would make all efforts to relax most regulations and also use minimum regulations under the Emergency. "We are trying our best to remove many regulations and exercise only the essential ones."

Minister Wickremanayake presented to the House an order issued by the President removing certain regulations and said it would be included in the Gazette notification. The Minister said they were doing it with a clear and good intention. "We cannot give an assurance that we would lift it before the election. Earlier, we have given such pledges and fulfilled them."

Emergency extended
The extension of the Emergency for a further one month was passed in Parliament yesterday by a majority of 94 votes. One hundred and eighteen Members from the Government, JVP, UNP, JHU and the CWC voted for the Emergency and 24 voted against. They comprised the TNA, UPF and UNP MPs Mano Ganeshan and T. Maheswaran. The SLMC (Hakeem Group) abstained from voting.