Sri Lanka Hopeful of Durable Ceasefire With Tamil Rebels

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 31, 2002

Sri Lanka Hopeful of Durable Ceasefire With Tamil Rebels

The Sri Lankan government said Wednesday that they were aiming at a durable ceasefire arrangement with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Sri Lankan government said Wednesday that they were aiming at a durable ceasefire arrangement with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

Constitutional Affairs Minister GL Peiris who is also government spokesman told reporters that the government with the assistance of the Norwegian peace brokers was aiming at "putting the current ceasefire on a stable footing."

Both the government and the rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are currently observing a truce which commencedon the Christmas eve last year and due to end on February 24.

Peiris said that the government believed that "there should be a ceasefire as long as possible." The longer the ceasefire the better it was for peace, he added.

He said that at the present stage the government was concentrating on confidence building measures such as the lifting of economic embargo imposed on rebel held areas in the north and vacating of many buildings which the army occupied in the northerncity of Jaffna.

The LTTE rebels on Tuesday also expressed hope that a finalization of a stable and structured ceasefire could be achieved soon.

The LTTE have been fighting against government forces since 1983 in the north and east of the country in an attempt to create an independent Tamil homeland there. More than 64,000 people have been killed in the fighting.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Sri Lankan Tamil Rebels Optimistic Over Permanent Ceasefire

Sri Lankan Opposition Cuations Against Lifting Ban on Tamil Rebels

S.Lankan PM Says Ban on Tamil Rebels Might Be Lifted