Government has ruled out talks with banned Tamil diaspora groups but will instead look at engaging with others, reports Daily Mirror on October 16. Foreign Minister, Professor G. L. Peiris, insisted that there will not be any direct talks with banned diaspora groups like the Global Tamil Forum. The Global Tamil Forum (GTF), British Tamil Forum (BTF), Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), Australian Tamil Congress (ATC), National Council of Canadian Tamil, Tamil Youth Organisation and the World Tamil Coordinating Committee are among those proscribed by the Ministry of Defence. “We can’t speak to organisations that have been banned by the Sri Lankan Government. That is not possible because that would be a violation of our law. But there are other shades of opinion. So, it’s useful to engage with them,” he said.