Military

DATE=11/13/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-309770

TITLE=LANKA/REBELS (SHORT)

BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA

DATELINE=

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: In Sri Lanka, Tamil Tiger rebels have told Norwegian peace envoys they remain committed to the ceasefire and peace process to end the nation's ethnic conflict. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the assurance comes amid worries that the country's political crisis may hurt the peace process.

TEXT: Tamil Tiger leaders say they will continue to honor the 21-month ceasefire, but have asked Norwegian mediators to guarantee that the government will also abide by the truce.

Norwegian envoys met with top guerrilla leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran in the rebel-held town of Killinochi as a political standoff between the country's president and the prime minister threatened to disrupt the fragile peace process between the government and the rebels.

The rebels want to resume negotiations as soon as possible - but say the president and the prime minister should first resolve their political dispute before peace talks continue.

The political crisis erupted last week when President Chandrika Kumaratunga took charge of the defense, security and media ministers after accusing Prime Minister Ranil Ranil Wickremesinghe of ceding too much to the rebels.

A truce with the rebels has been in place since February last year, bringing the country its longest spell of peace in two decades. (signed)

NEB/HK/AJ/MH