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Be Cautious Over LTTE Peace Offer: Sri Lankan FM
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has said that the government would be cautious in dealing with separatist Tamil Tiger rebel's recent unconditional peace offer.
The Sunday Observer quoted Kadirgamar as saying that the Sri Lankan government would never let down its guard with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and that the public can be assured that the government would be cautious when reacting to LTTE's peace insinuations.
He said that there were possibilities of qualifying the ban on the LTTE in some respect to make it possible legally for talks to be held even though the ban exists.
He added that the ban on the LTTE is likely to be imposed by Britain in the early quarter of next year.
In a recent visit to Britain Kadirgamar urged British Secretary of State for Home Affairs Jack Straw to proscribe the LTTE and implement the new anti-terrorism act which was adopted by the British Parliament in July this year.
On contradictory versions over possible peace talks presented by Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim and the LTTE side he said that he had no reason at all to doubt the veracity of the Norwegian version.
"My guess is that the LTTE adopts a tough posture abroad to keep up the morale of its fund raisers who must be made to believe that the LTTE is fighting for a separate state," he added.
Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim said after his recent meeting with LTTE leader Prabhakaran that the rebels have offered unconditional resumption of peace talks with the government but LTTE London office issued a contradictory statement demanding an immediate ceasefire, government troop withdrawal in the north of the country and the lifting of economic embargo in the area.
President Kumaratunga said at the ceremonial opening of the 11th parliament earlier this month that doors are still open for talks with the LTTE but stressed that military campaign against the rebels will continue until a consensus on negotiation with the rebels is reached among all parties involved.
The LTTE rebels with huge financial support from expatriates of Sri Lanka have been fighting against government forces since 1983 for a separate homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east of the island country.
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