- Title: SRI LANKA: Government and Tamil Tiger agree on Swiss ceasefire talks
- Date: 26th January 2006
- Summary: VARIOUS PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSE BRIEFING THE CABINET
- Embargoed: 10th February 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Sri Lanka
- Country: Sri Lanka
- Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA5FEVKBSXAASFKSDD33ZKTACM4
- Story Text: Sri Lanka's government and Tamil Tiger rebels said on Wednesday (January 25) they would hold talks in Switzerland on implementing a strained 2002 truce, easing war fears -- or at least postponing a return to conflict. The announcement was made in the Tiger de facto capital Kilinochchi, first by Norwegian truce broker Erik Solheim, and then, at a separate press conference, by Chief Negotiator and Political Strategist of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Anton Balasingham. "As you know, the two parties have agreed that there is a need to come together to discuss how the ceasefire agreement can be implemented in a more proper manner. There have recently been far too many violations of the ceasefire, there have been more incidents of killings of Senegalese soldiers, there have been Tamil paramilitaries attacking LTTE people, there have been atrocities against Tamil civilians in the north and the east. All together all these cease fire violations have created a situation of fear for many people in Sri Lanka. The two sides however have agreed that there is a need to come together to discuss how to reduce the number of such violations," said Solheim. Solheim added that although an exact date has not yet been fixed, the talks are expected to take place in February and that the venue will be Geneva. The discussions will be limited to the implementation of the truce which has come under increasing strain recently. At a separate press conference, Balasingham said the Tigers were ready to contribute to the creation of a peaceful environment prior to the talks. "On our part, we have pledged that there will not be any acts of violence from the LTTE. At the same time, we want the government of Sri Lanka to ensure to the armed forces that there shouldn't be any violence perpetrated against innocent civilians through paramilitary units. So a conducive atmosphere, a peace environment is very essential to resume peace talks. This is not a condition for talks but we have suggested it is a very important pre-requisite to create a peaceful environment to resume peace negotiations," said Balasingham. A string of suspected rebel attacks on troops in the Tamil dominated north and east over the past two months killed more than 200 and pushed the country to the brink of war, with the two parties unable to find a location for crisis talks until now. The Tigers had previously said they would accept talks only in Oslo, but official sources said the government was not willing to meet there. Solheim said Norway had suggested Switzerland as a compromise. The LTTE delegation to Geneva will comprise Chief Negotiator Mr. Anton Balasingham, Political Head Mr. S. P. Tamilchelvan, Col. Jeyam, Police Chief Mr. B. Nadesan, Ms. Adele Balasingham and Batticaloa District Political Head Mr. Ilanthirayan (Marshall). Reclusive rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran meets few outside his inner circle, but observers say Solheim has built up a rapport with him since Norway was asked to mediate in the conflict after playing a similar role in the Middle East. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have denied involvement in a spate of recent attacks which have killed some 70 military personnel. Their chief negotiator did not repeat the denial on Wednesday, but said the attacks would stop if the government ceased abusing Tamil civilians. "There has been some LTTE military action, but mostly these incidents are the peoples' militia," Anton Balasingham told Reuters in an interview after Solheim boarded a helicopter to return to Colombo and brief President Mahinda Rajapakse. The government -- strengthened by the arrival of two defecting opposition parliamentarians in a move analysts said reduced Rajapakse's reliance on hardline allies opposed to a deal with the rebels -- said it welcomed the agreement on talks. "The government will make a very genuine effort to ensure that this particular chance that we have obtained now to resume the peace process be made a reality. The government is committed to a negotiated settlement," said cabinet spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva. "We are confident that the killings will stop now," added de Silva. Solheim met President Mahinda Rajapakse soon after he landed in Colombo after successful talks with the Tamil Tiger rebel leader. He briefed the President on the rebels' agreement to resume talks in Geneva next month. Immediately after meeting Solheim, President Rajapakse briefed his cabinet ministers of the latest outcome. This is the first time in Sri Lanka that a cabinet meeting has been opened for media coverage. Analysts say there remains a vast gap between the sides, with President Mahinda Rajapakse -- allied to hardline parties who hate the rebels -- saying he wants a unified state while the rebels demand autonomy in minority Tamil dominated areas. The army said one Tamil civilian was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the evening south of the volatile northeastern multi-ethnic port of Trincomalee -- increasingly common in the area, but the first death since Solheim's statement. Diplomats say too many such killings might cause the deal to collapse. ENDS
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