Military

DATE=11/02/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=LANKA MEETING (L-O)

NUMBER=2-268756

BYLINE=VIKRAM SINGH

DATELINE=COLOMBO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A Norwegian peace envoy in Sri Lanka has met with the leader of the Tamil separatist guerrillas. Vikram Singh reports from Colombo that though the meeting is the first of its kind in many years, peace for the island may still be far off.

TEXT: After meeting Tamil separatist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, Norway's special peace envoy (Erik Solheim) told reporters that the rebels are serious about finding a negotiated settlement to the country's civil war.

At a news conference in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, Mr. Solheim said the meeting was a small, but important, step on a long road. He said he is optimistic and realistic about the prospects for peace on the troubled island.

Following the press conference, Mr. Solheim told V-O-A that after 17-years of war the Sri Lankan people are ready for peace, but that agreeing on how to build that peace is difficult.

/// SOLHEIM ACT //

We believe that the vast majority of the Sinhalese, and the Muslims, and the Tamils all are longing for a peaceful settlement to this conflict. But you could never expect any kind of agreement to be supported by all forces in society.

/// END ACT ///

Earlier reports, including a press release by the rebel secretariat in London said that Mr. Prabhakaran had laid down several conditions for the resumption of negotiations.

The conditions, which include the withdrawal of military forces from conflict areas, have been rejected by the government in the past. The rebel statement also accused the Sri Lankan Government of conducting a genocidal war against Sri Lanka's Tamil population and being insincere about peace efforts.

But Mr. Solheim says that Mr. Prabhakaran was exploring ways to get the peace process started, and did not lay down conditions. The envoy says he will meet Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and give her a full briefing Friday.

Observers say that reports of the meeting created a stir in Sri Lanka because the rebel leader has not met any peace envoys since negotiations with the government broke down in 1995. Mr. Solheim says the meeting is simply part of his confidence building mission and that actual peace talks could be weeks or even years away.

The struggle for independence by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has claimed more than 60-thousand lives in Sri Lanka and left hundreds of thousands displaced. (SIGNED)

NEB/VS/RAE