The Co-chair countries are to meet in Washington on November 20th to discuss the Sri Lankan situation. Earlier the Co-chair countries had appealed to the government and the LTTE to participate at the Talks. They also announced that they would meet thereafter and discuss the outcome of the Talks.

The Co-chair countries had met President Rajapakse twice in recent times. They had met and discussed with LTTE delegation at the Colombo International Airport. Finally they had met the government delegation.

At the same time, Norway, the facilitator would have also briefed the Co-chair countries of the Last Geneva Talks, the trend of the Talks, the positions taken up by both parties and the final outcome of the Talks.

Therefore, in this background, where the last Geneva Peace Talks have failed, the people of Sri Lanka eagerly await to know the political stand that may be taken up at the proposed meeting of Co-chair countries in Washington.

The meeting of the Co-chairs takes place at the time, when the Tamils are frustrated and furious that the International Community observes a calculated silence over the atrocities committed on the Lankan Tamils and the military strategy of the Lankan Government.

At the same time there is great expectation among the Lankan Tamils and the expatriates Tamils that the LTTE, sole and recognizes representatives of the Tamil people, must take a definite stand on this issue. They are also hopeful that the LTTE leader Prabakaran will make an appropriate announcement in his address on the hero’s day in November.

In such a context, the meeting of the Co-chair countries is convened exactly one week prior to the heroes’ day. It is expected that the decisions of this meetings will have twin objectives of dissuading the LTTE from talking any extreme steps and instilling a sense of hope on the efforts of the international community.

An English translation of the Editorial in Uthayan, a Tamil daily, based in Jaffna

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