LOC14:40
11:40 GMT
PARIS, April 8 (KUNA) -- After months of fighting in which the Sri Lankan army has progressively cornered Tamil rebels in the north-east of the island, France said Wednesday it was increasing concerned about the situation facing the many Tamil civilians trapped in the region.
The United Nations has also said it is worried about the fate of these civilians, who have not managed to escape the ongoing combat and France joined calls for respect for international humanitarian law by all parties in the fighting.
"We are following with very great concern the developments in the north of Sri Lanka and we are very worried about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation," Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Frederic Desagneaux said here.
He called for respect of humanitarian law and the protection of people in the combat zone and he especially criticized the behaviour of Tamil rebels of the LTTE movement in this regard.
"In particular, it is unacceptable that the LTTE continues to retain civilian populations and to recruit child soldiers," the French official commented.
He said France was calling for a "humanitarian truce to allow for the evacuation of the population and access by humanitarian organisations." He also remarked that only a political solution would allow a resolution of the conflict and provide an answer to the legitimate concerns of all the communities in Sri Lanka.
Separately, diplomatic sources here said that France was not supplying any weapons or military hardware to the Sri Lankan army, which has been boosted in the latest phase of the conflict by modern equipment, including air power.
Much of the weaponry is believed to come from former Soviet States in Eastern Europe, but the major suppliers are said to be China, Pakistan and even India, although this has been denied by New Delhi, as there is a significant Tamil population in the south of India.
While the European Union is concerned by the situation in Sri Lanka, there has been no move to cut off any EU supplies to the Sri Lankan army by any of the 27 European countries that may be involved.
There has been some discussion, however, among EU States on this issue. (end) jk.ema KUNA 081440 Apr 09NNNN