COLOMBO, Aug 29, Reuter: The United States today delivered the first batch of helicopter spare parts it promised to Sri Lanka to help it quell violent protests against an accord to end ethnic fighting.

AUS. Embassy spokesman told reporters the parts sent on a USS, Air Force cargo plane consisted of 10 to 15 percent of an estimated 15 million to two million dollars logistical aid promised to Sri Lanka.

The parts brought today were the ones most urgently needed he said, adding the rest would be sent by ship.

President Junius Jayewardene asked for U.S. Military aid in late July when bloody demonstrations by the majority Sinhalese erupted over the Indian backed accord that gives minority Tamils some autonomy.

Sri Lanka and the United States do not have a military assistance pact or a mutual defense treaty.

Diplomats said the US. Government had not given any military support to Colombo because it wanted a negotiated solution to war by Tamils fighting for a separate state.

The July pact allows Sri Lanka to ask military assistance from India, which sent 7,000 of its troops to enforce the provisions of the agreement, include surrender by Tamil Rebels and a ceasefire.

The accord provides for the surrender of weapons by August3, which was stretched on to August 18, An Indian High Commission spokeswoman said reports that the deadline was now September 2 were untrue.

Official sources involved in monitoring the agreement said there’s. No new deadline because the surrender is linked with the disarming of home guards villagers issued with state firearms to fight rebels ~and the release of Tamil detainees.

The spokeswoman said 70 per cent of arms and 85 percent of heavy weaponry had been handed over by last weekend.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the dominant guerrilla group, has been reluctant to hand over more weapons because it was afraid of vengeance killings from rival militant groups.

The Tigers on Thursday said three of its members were shot dead by a rival Tamil group on Wednesday night but the Indian peacekeeping force had not taken any action so far.

The Sri Lankan Government today released 304 Tamil detainees, bringing to 1,304 the number of Tamils freed since the signing of the peace accord.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 4, 1987