United States Welcomes Resumption of Sri Lanka Peace Talks
11 October 2006
Sri Lanka government, Tamil Tigers scheduled to meet October 28-29 in Geneva
Washington – A new peace initiative in Sri Lanka won praise from U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, who said October 11 that the United States welcomes the agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to resume talks.
He also said the United States “is deeply concerned that ongoing violence in Sri Lanka is putting the agreement at risk. ” In a statement issued October 11, he asked that both sides immediately cease hostilities “and foster an environment that is conducive to holding productive discussions in Geneva.” The agreed-upon talks will be held in Geneva October 28-29.
Violence in the island nation has worsened in recent months. Fierce battles continue despite the proposed talks, raising fears that the talks could be scuttled before concerned parties come to the table.
Army and rebel forces exchanged artillery rounds and rocket fire in the northern Jaffna Peninsula October 10, while government jets bombed Tamil Tiger positions in some of the bloodiest fighting since the 2002 truce began to fall apart in August. Each side accuses the other of being the aggressor.
Reports of a buildup of government military forces could not be confirmed independently. LTTE and government accounts of operations and casualties frequently prove to be inaccurate.
“Things are in a very fragile state at the moment,” a diplomat requesting anonymity told the Reuters news agency. “If this is an offensive from the government side, this could well jeopardize the whole thing.”
The LTTE has waged an insurgency in Sri Lanka for two decades, using assassination and suicide bombings in its bid to establish a separate Tamil homeland. More than 60,000 people are believed to have died in the conflict.
A 2002 Norwegian-brokered truce gave way in August to a new wave of hostilities that have caused thousands to flee their homes and limited access of humanitarian aid agencies to the refugees. (See related article.)
“We also urge both sides to ensure that non-government entities involved in humanitarian relief efforts are provided access to conflict-affected areas. It is imperative that human rights be respected and protected in all areas of Sri Lanka,” McCormack said.
He said the United States welcomes the Sri Lankan government’s Commission of Inquiry on human rights and continues to support the Norwegian efforts to facilitate peace. He urged a return to negotiations.
For additional information about U.S. policy in the region, see South and Central Asia.
The text of McCormack’s statement is available on the State Department Web site.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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