The Foreign Minister further noted that the GTF was formed in order to launch the so called “Provisional Trans-National Government of Tamil Eelam”, and hence poses a ‘direct threat’ to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.  Taking into consideration the LTTE agenda of the GTF, the Foreign Minister asked the Acting High Commissioner to convey that he urged Foreign Secretary Miliband to change his decision to address the GTF Meeting today in London, if the Foreign Secretary is genuinely interested in supporting the legitimate government elected by the people of Sri Lanka to achieve peace and reconciliation among all communities.  The Foreign Minister also indicated that Sri Lanka encouraged the British Government to directly engage with the Sri Lankan Government in achieving this shared objective of peace and reconciliation.

The Foreign Minister observed that Sri Lanka expects the British Government and its representatives who are interested in achieving a durable peace in Sri Lanka to encourage the Sri Lankan diaspora to give up the LTTE’s monolithic separatist agenda and to work constructively towards an inclusive peace.  The non-participation of Foreign Secretary Miliband in today’s GTF meeting in London would be the best way to convey this message, he noted. 

The British Foreign Secretary made his intention of addressing the GTF known in a statement delivered at the British House of Commons yesterday.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

24^th February 2010