SWITZERLAND: Crunch peace talks between Sri Lanka's government and its Tamil Tiger rebel foes ended in stalemate in Geneva

Crunch peace talks between Sri Lanka's government and its Tamil Tiger rebel foes ended in stalemate in Geneva on Sunday (October 29), and analysts feared the deadlock could trigger a fresh surge in violence. Officials said the talks were held up over a central rebel demand that the government reopen a highway that crosses through rebel territory to the besieged army-held Jaffna peninsula in the Indian Ocean island's far north. Diplomats and analysts had expected little from the talks, but had hoped at least for a date and commitment for further negotiations. Norwegian facilitator for the talks Erik Solheim told a news conference in Geneva after the two-day meetings, "The LTTE requested that the A9, the main highway connecting the north and south of Sri Lanka to be opened. The government refused to do this at this point. No agreement was reached between the parties on how to address the humanitarian crisis. No date for a new meeting was agreed upon. Norway will be in ongoing dialogue with the two parties to discuss all possible ideas on how to move the peace process forward." Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) political wing head and chief negotiator S.P. Thamilselvan said the rebels would not participate in new talks until the A9 highway linking the north to the rest of the country was reopened -- which the government has refused to do. His spokesman Mr George told a news conference, "The LTTE agreed to fix a date for next round of talks and asked the A9 highway is opened before that date. However, the government delegation did not respond positively. The LTTE has requested the facilitators and the Sri Lanka monitoring mission to use their good offices to help A9 (to be) opened before fixing a date for the next round of talks." The road -- nicknamed the "Highway of Death" because of past battles fought over it -- was closed in August due to fighting, choking supplies and leading to more hardship for residents. The government says it is unsafe to reopen the road because of rebel artillery fire. Sources close to the talks said each side spent Sunday blaming the other for abuses, and that mediator Norway had to resort to meeting each party separately. They could not even agree on how to deal with humanitarian issues. "LTTE came for discussions on the basis they are coming for discussions unconditionally. Having come for discussions unconditionally, it is regrettable that they have imposed the conditions for future talks, so this is what I want to emphasise," Sri Lankan Health Minister and delegation leader Nimal Siripala de Silva, told the news conference. The talks aimed at halting a new chapter in a two-decade civil war that has killed more than 65,000 people since 1983 was the first face-to-face meeting in eight months amid a resurgence of violence on the island of 20 million people. Hundreds of people have been killed in clashes, suicide attacks and offensives since late July. Many of the victims are civilians. As talks entered the second and final day on Sunday, the foes fought artillery and mortar bomb duels in the northern Jaffna peninsula, in which three soldiers were wounded. The military also said five civilians were killed in the peninsula when a mine being carried on a bicycle by a suspected rebel accidentally exploded, killing him too. There have been hundreds of killings since July despite a tattered 2002 ceasefire, and analysts fear clashes may now deepen. As both sides were talking on Sunday, the Tigers accused the government of preparing for a possible offensive across the frontline where the artillery duels were being fought. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and are living on food handouts.

ITN Source | October 30, 2006

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