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S.Lankan Govt Calls on Tamil Rebels Not to Place Unacceptable Conditions
The Sri Lankan government Wednesday called on separatist Tamil Tiger rebels not to place unacceptable conditions before commencing peace talks and to help the government bring about a swift end to the 18-year ethnic conflict.
In a media release on behalf of the government, which is available on Thursday, Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels' call for government to lift the ban on them was a further barrier that had been placed to undermine the government's efforts.
The ban can be lifted only as a result of positive negotiations. The LTTE demand amounts to a threat to the government and this sort of demand dashes the hopes for peace, he said.
The minister said that Tamil people also expect a more reasonable attitude from the rebels. If both parties are not prepared to relent in their attitude then no progress can be made in peace talks, he said.
The LTTE rebels demanded earlier this month the lifting of ban on them before the start of peace talks with the government. They also want a formal ceasefire from the government and removal of economic embargo on areas controlled by them.
The government has rejected lifting ban on LTTE as unreasonable but some progress have been made on two other issues.
The LTTE rebels have been fighting against government forces in the north and east of the country since 1983 for an independent Tamil homeland. The bloody war has killed more than 60,000 people.
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