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Sri Lanka's Tiger Rebels Reiterate Previous Conditions for Peace Talks
Sri Lanka's separate Tamil Tiger rebels have reiterated their previously set conditions for peace talks with the government following latest British Office Minister Peter Hain's effort to push the peace process last week.
The Sunday Times said that in answers exclusively made available to the paper that the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) S.P. Thamilchelvam has reiterated their preconditions for possible peace talks with the government in a bid to end the 17-year ethnic war.
"It is only when hostilities cease, the economic embargo on a nation of people is removed and when the people have a peace of mind, can lasting peace efforts succeed," he said.
However, he said that if sincere, genuine and meaningful measures are adopted to bring about peace, they will be the happiest of people and the LTTE will extend its cooperation to any peace initiative that would bring lasting peace with dignity.
This is the first official response from the LTTE following British Office Minister Peter Hain's visit last week and Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim's meeting late last month with LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as well as President Kumaratunga's policy statement at the ceremonial opening of the Parliament earlier this month.
During his two day visit here last week Hain urged both the government and LTTE to start peace negotiations as soon as possible to end the long-running ethnic war.
Prabhakaran offered an unconditional resumption of peace talks with the government during his meeting with Solheim but LTTE London Office soon issued a contradictory statement reiterating the similar preconditions for the possible peace talks with the government.
Kumaratunga said at the ceremonial opening of the Parliament that the government was waiting for the final decision made by the LTTE and military campaign against the rebels will not stop.
The LTTE rebels have been fighting against the government forces for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of the country since 1983.
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