SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT IN SRI LANKA

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the ceasefire agreement signed last Friday between the Government of Sri Lanka and the “Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam” (LTTE).  He congratulates the parties and the Norwegian Facilitation for this important step.

The Secretary-General hopes that this agreement will soon be followed by peace negotiations leading to a political solution of the protracted internal conflict in Sri Lanka.  To this end, he reiterates his full support for Norway’s ongoing facilitation efforts.

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