Speaking in New York, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar rejected UN involvement, saying that the conflict was an internal affair. Mr Kadirgamar said that Sri Lanka had no hi-tech equipment to defend herself in the face of aggression. The island nation had only the moral sanction of the UN Charter and sovereignty was a precious entitlement.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, the Foreign minister, in a veiled attack against Britain, criticized nations which allowed the LTTE to flourish within their borders.
Sri Lankan writer Jehan Perera says Mr Kadirgamar speaks of foreign mediation and intervention as if they were the same. He adds that the failure of badly planned efforts of the past, such as the Indian intervention in 1987, is not good enough reason to reject foreign mediation and points out that the experiences of the intervention can be usefully employed in the future. The reluctance of the government to obtain foreign mediation may indicate an uncertainty on its part regarding its position on the rights of the Tamil people, Mr Perera says.
The LTTE continues to insist on foreign involvement and the other Tamil parties strongly favour third-party mediation. The moderate Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) condemned Mr Kadirgamar for his stance at the UN. Jaffna Catholic Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam, Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph and Batticaloa Bishop Kingsly Swampillai met LTTE leaders in the Vanni on 20 September. They raised concerns over the deteriorating situation of the civilians in the north-east and stressed the need to end the war. Tiger leader Thamilchelvan pledged to support peace efforts, but accused the government of giving priority to war efforts with the help of some foreign governments, particularly the United States.