LTTE agrees to talks with Sri Lankan government
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Oct 10, IRNA
Sri Lanka-LTTE-Talks
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Tuesday agreed to resume peace talks with the Sri Lanka Government, but said they would reconsider if security forces kept up attacks against them.
The LTTE told peace broker Norway that they agreed to two days of talks starting October 28 at a venue in Switzerland and that decision was conveyed to Oslo's envoy Hans Brattskar in Colombo.
"We are ready for talks, and agreed to the venue and date," the LTTE's political wing chief S P Thamilselvan said in a statement posted on their official website.
However, he made it clear that the decision was valid only if the military stopped all attacks against them in the island's northern and eastern regions.
The Tigers also made it known that they agreed to talks as a 'final attempt' to show the international community that they were interested in peace but not the Colombo government.
He said that the LTTE is not hopeful that the government will implement any promises it makes.
"Thamilselvan said that the LTTE is obliged to demonstrate this character of the government to the international community just one more time," the rebel website said.
Both sides agreed last month to resume talks, but failed to agree on a venue. But today they decided to go to a venue in Switzerland.
Even as peace moves were underway, both sides were locked in combat and have accused each other of offensive action.
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