Sri Lankans had been euphoric ever since their government signed a historic truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in February 2002, putting an end to military hostilities.

Then came the November 2002 Oslo meet where the Norwegian government issued a statement saying the two sides had agreed to explore the feasibility of finding a political solution based on federal systems of governance.

Sri Lankan politicians trumpeted the Oslo statement as a major achievement, one that would irrevocably commit LTTE to a negotiated settlement. The Oslo declaration, it was said, was a virtual admission by the Tamil Tigers that they were giving up their campaign to secede from Sri Lanka.

Now, finally, the LTTE has given a resounding slap to Colombo - and indeed the so-called international community - by declaring publicly that no political framework or resolution is binding on it and that it was opposed to what it says is the growing "internationalisation" of the Sri Lankan conflict.

Only those who don't understand LTTE would be surprised by the development.

The latest comments have come from Anton Balasingham, the LTTE's London-based theoretician and its chief negotiator, significantly just after the LTTE ended a marathon tour of Europe where one country after another advised it to resume talks with Colombo, end child recruitment and give up the violent path.

In April 2002, LTTE's founder-leader Velupillai Prabhakaran announced without battling an eyelid that he would be willing to be dubbed a "traitor" - who in LTTE's dictionary is one deserving death - if he ever forsakes the Tamil Eelam cause.

He could not have spoken the truth better. Surprisingly, the import of his words was lost on most people.

There is no doubt that the peace process has strengthened LTTE politically, militarily and diplomatically, notwithstanding the crippling split it suffered in March this year when its former eastern regional commander Karuna walked away.