Tigers agree to resume peace talks

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers told Norwegian peace brokers Monday they were willing to resume talks based on their plan for self-rule, but warned the new government here not to support renegade rebels.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) told a top Norwegian envoy the rebels were ready to open negotiations with the Sri Lankan government at any time provided talks were based on their peace blueprint unveiled in October.

"The Liberation Tigers are fully prepared to resume the negotiations on the same principles and atmosphere as it did with the previous government in Colombo," Tiger political wing leader S. P. Thamil-selvan said.

President Chandrika Kumara-tunga has already rejected the proposal which would set up an "Interim Self-Governing Authority" granting greater political and financial powers to the rebels in the island's northeast.

Speaking to reporters at the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi after talks with top Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim, Thamilselvan said the Tigers had satisfactory signals through Oslo that Kumara-tunga's new government would abide by a truce agreement in place since February 2002.

However, Thamilselvan warned Colombo against supporting a breakaway Tiger faction led by a regional commander, V. Muralit-haran, better known as Karuna, who went underground after an offensive last month by the main rebel movement.

Thamilselvan said Colombo "should stop the Sri Lanka army from giving continued support to Karuna and his men who are behind the recent violent incidents in (the eastern district of) Batti-caloa."

"Failing to do so will have far-reaching consequences," said Thamilselvan, as quoted by the pro-rebel Tamilnet website.

Solheim held the two-hour meeting with the Tigers a day after meeting with Kumaratunga and warning it would take time to revive stalled negotiations.

It was the Norwegians' first meeting with the rebels since Kumaratunga's leftist coalition narrowly won April 2 elections vowing to "thoroughly review" Oslo's role.

An influential party of Buddhist monks Monday accused Kumara-tunga of inconsistency and said it will press in parliament to exclude Norway from the peace process.

"Norway is not an honest third party," said Buddhist monk and MP Athuraliya Ratana. "Before the election, the president's Freedom Alliance said they will get rid of the Norwegians, but they are now welcoming them back."