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Sri Lanka invites LTTE for talks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, June 20, IRNA
Sri Lanka-LTTE-Peace talks
The Sri Lankan government has invited the Libration Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to enter into peace negotiations despite the escalation of violence and fears that the island was steadily drifting towards full-scale hostilities.

According to Doordarshan news agency, the government's peace secretariat said Colombo wanted the guerillas to go back to negotiations even though Sri lanka rejects their claim for a de facto separate state, media reports said here quoting official ources.

"Neither the government of Sri Lanka nor any other member of the International Community recognizes a "de facto state of Tamil Eelam," the peace secretariat said. "This remains a myth."
Notifying the areas under LTTE control, he said the "LTTE militarily dominates the districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu in the northern province as well as pockets of territory elsewhere in the north and the east which are by no means contiguous."
The remarks were in response to a statement by the Tigers after their abortive talks in Oslo with the Sri Lankan government that they will work towards a settlement for self-determination.

The latest invitation to the Tigers came amid moves by peace broker Norway to salvage the collapsing peace process.

Norway's top peace envoy Erik Solheim asked both Colombo and the Tigers to re-confirm their willingness to continue with the initiative after failing to arrange a face-to-face meeting between the parties 11 days ago in Oslo.

The diplomats further said Oslo expected a response from the Tigers by Tuesday and that several envoys were due to travel to the LTTE-held areas for fresh talks with the Tigers.

Earlier, on Sunday, the Tigers said that they would retaliate if the military resumes air attacks against them, and the pro-rebel Tamilnet reported that Supersonic war planes were seen flying over rebel-held territory.

More than 50 people were killed in a weekend surge of violence which included a major sea battle between the Tigers and the Sri Lankan Navy.

The Defence Ministry said the navy and air force beat back the offensive by sinking eight Tiger craft and killing 30, but the rebels said their casualties included only two people wounded.

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