August 23, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-us-Sani 24, 1424

PARIS, Aug 22: In what some political observers are characterizing as an about-face, the French foreign affairs ministry says that its role with regard to the organization in Paris of a meeting of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) is limited, at least for the moment, to “authorizing the arrival on French soil of the persons who are to take part in the reunion.”

An official spokesman also specified that the meeting was “an internal matter, limited to the LTTE” and that it was “not up to us to communicate about the practical aspects” of the reunion.

Some journalists had asked the spokesman for information as to how they might obtain accreditation to be able to cover the meetings.

The spokesman also noted that France “had accepted that this reunion be held on its territory from the moment that the Sri Lankan authorities, duly informed, expressed no objection” to its being held in France.

The spokesman noted that the meeting aims to facilitate the efforts by the international community to favour resumption of a dialogue” between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government.