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The Liberation Tigers for Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has expressed doubts about the proposed direct talks with the Sri Lankan government commencing even by the end of July as there is no agreement on an agenda for negotiations.
"The time is not yet ripe for finalising the agenda for talks as the ceasefire agreement is yet to be implemented in full," Tamil daily Sudar Oli quoted sources close to the LTTE as saying, in a dispatch from London.
"It will be one of the wonders of the world," the sources said, when asked if the talks would begin, at least by the end of July, if not late in June.
There was considerable media speculation last week that the agenda for talks had been finalised by the parties through Norwegian facilitation.
However, the latest report from London in the Tamil newspaper known to be close to the LTTE has scotched such speculation.
The LTTE has not even replied to a questionnaire distributed by Norway to both sides to ascertain their views on the modalities and agenda for talks.
"They are unlikely to reply unless the ceasefire agreement is fully implemented. They are very firm in this regard," the report said.
LTTE political chief S P Thamilchelvan has blamed the government for the delay in commencement of peace talks, accusing it of dragging its feet on implementing provisions of the truce accord and lifting the ban on the LTTE.
"The initial momentum is not there any more," he said in remarks published on Tuesday.
When the agreement for an indefinite truce was signed in February, talks were deemed likely in April or May.
The LTTE has reiterated that any progress was unlikely unless all terms of the truce accord, which came into effect on February 23, are implemented and the ban on the outfit is lifted unconditionally.
Its main grievance is that the armed forces have not vacated all places of worship and schools under their occupation, as required by the ceasefire agreement.
The accord lays down that all schools occupied by security forces be vacated once the ceasefire completes 160 days and a schedule prepared for vacating other public places.
As things stand, a final assessment on how far the truce has been adhered to will be known only by this 160-day deadline falling on August 2.
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