<b>LTTE-TNA strategic meeting on Saturday</b>

Shelani Perera - The Sunday Times

The Tamil National Alliance is to meet the LTTE on Saturday to discuss the Government's progress on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

The TNA last met the LTTE leadership in April. The LTTE last week summoned the TNA for a meeting at the Tigers' Kilinochchi Headquarters on Saturday.

The TNA had been putting pressure on the Government to fully implement the ceasefire agreement before going for peace talks in Thailand. It calls on the government to withdraw troops from the public buildings and had several meetings with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in this regard.

TULF Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham told The Sunday Times that TNA would discuss with the LTTE the present political situation.

"We have not met for a few months. We will take up the issue of the evacuation of troops which is very important to bring about normalcy to the area. We will also discuss the meeting we had with the Prime Minister," Mr. Pararajasingham said.

At last week's meeting with the Prime Minister, the TNA was assured that the troops would vacate all places by August 2 in keeping with the ceasefire agreement.

TULF General Secretary R Sampandan said that they pointed out to the Prime Minster that troops were occupying adjoining private land after vacating public buildings.

Mr. Sampandan added that the TNA had raised the issue of security forces demarcating new high security zones in the North and the Prime Minister assured them the matter would be investigated by the Defence Secretary.

Courtesy - The Sunday Times