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S.Lankan Govt Appeals to Intn'l Community to Press Tamil Rebels for Peace Talks
The Sri Lankan government made an appeal on Monday to international community to exert pressure on separatist Tamil Tiger rebels to enter peace process in the war- torn country.
In a statement rebutting two Catholic bishops who are currently on a visit to Europe, the government said that President Chandrika Kumaratunga has repeatedly made it clear that the government was committed to a negotiated settlement to the 18-year ethnic conflict and is ready for peace talks.
The two Catholic bishops of the country are reported to have said on their current European tour that the government does not seem to want a solution to the ethnic issue through negotiations but by military means.
The government accused that it is only the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that creates hurdles to the peace process in the country.
"All sections of the society be it Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims including their elected representatives are clamoring for the peace and have appreciated the stance taken by the government," the statement said.
Peace process in the country has been deadlocked over issue of lifting ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, a key demand by the rebels which they said must be met before they could enter peace talks.
The government has rejected the demand as "unreasonable" but local media reports said on Monday that the government might be willing to temporarily lift the ban to break the deadlock in Norwegian-brokered peace process.
The LTTE rebels also demand a ceasefire from the government and removal of economic blockade imposed on areas controlled by them.
It is reported that progress have been made on the two issues through busy shuttle diplomacy between the two sides by Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim, who is engaged in brokering peace in the country in the past two years.
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 some 64,000 people.
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