A meeting held in Oslo to discuss the future of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) ended without a solid resolution, sources said. The meeting was called for after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) requested that all citizens of the European Union be removed from the SLMM.

The EU proscribed the LTTE as a terrorist organization earlier this month, calling into question the neutrality of EU citizens who are members of the SLMM. LTTE gave an initial period of one month for the EU citizens to be removed. The transition period has now been extended to three months by the LTTE.

Meanwhile, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has said that it will not accept the removal of EU members from the SLMM. Analysts said that such a reaction from the GoSL was widely expected as the GoSL is constantly looking for ways to scuffle the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA).

Furthermore, LTTE's request is based on the fact that the EU citizens will act in favor of the GoSL. Clearly the GoSL would not want someone who would act in favor of them to be removed, analysts added.

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