International   

Sinking of LTTE vessel: SLMM seeks details

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO. MARCH 11. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has asked the island's defence authorities for exact location of Monday's engagement in the high seas, in which the Sri Lanka Navy sunk an LTTE merchant vessel.

The clarifications were sought today by the head of the SLMM, Tryggve Tellefsen, at a meeting with the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Austin Fernando, and the Navy Chief, Daya Sandagiri. The position of the engagement and the flag of the sunken vessel are two important issues, SLMM sources told The Hindu today. The monitors are to meet the LTTE's chief negotiator, Anton S. Balasingham, and the political wing leader, S.P. Tamilchelvam, tomorrow.

The clarifications were sought as the SLMM had received varying accounts of the exact position of yesterday's incident. The first information from the Navy was that it was 240 nautical miles (nm) east of Sri Lankan shores. This was later mentioned as 220 nm and then 185 nm, SLMM sources said. Sri Lanka's territorial waters extend up to 12 nm, and its Exclusive Economic Zone up to 200 nm. The provisions on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Seas and the right to hot pursuit are also being studied, the sources said.

Though the incident was outside the island's territorial waters the clarifications were sought as different international laws applied in respect of EEZs.

The Navy said yesterday that the "vessel was not flying the flag of any State". The monitors are also working on means to evolve safeguards to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The monitors, who examined the Navy vessel involved in yesterday's firing, found some damage on it.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• France to veto resolution
• Charges fly thick on drone
• Russia vows support
• U.S. planning early attack?
• Support for war grows in U.S.
• NPC takes up issues of governance
• UAE to curb visit visas
• Sinking of LTTE vessel: SLMM seeks details
• No immediate return to war: LTTE
• Indian executed in Qatar
• Pak. to abstain from second resolution on Iraq

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu