Enough of truce time for in-depth talks: Sri Lanka

Colombo, Oct 10: Sri Lanka is tired of talks with Tamil Tiger rebels centring on the terms of a 2002 ceasefire, and wants a new round later this month to focus on core issues such as human rights and development, the government said today.

Talks between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Geneva in February turned into a slanging match about truce violations. The rebels pulled out of a second round in April and there have been no meetings since.

Hundreds of people have been killed since late July in the the worst fighting since the tattered truce was brokered and many feel talks planned in Geneva on October. 28-29 are premature.

''We do not want to be trapped within talks about the ceasefire agreement,'' Defence spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters at a weekly briefing.

''People in this country are not interested in paperwork and the modalities of the ceasefire. They want to see something real taking place at the ground level.'' The Tigers have agreed to unconditional talks but are furious the military has captured territory south of a strategic northeastern harbour that, under the terms of the truce, was under de facto rebel control.

The agenda for the talks has not been announced.

''The president has sent seven points to be discussed at the table through the Norwegian mediators. Those are democracy, allowing a multi-party system, pluralism, human rights, child recruitment, development of the north and east and finally devolution,'' Rambukwella said.

Some analysts believe the Tigers have only agreed to talks to regroup after a series of military defeats in recent weeks, and expect little to come out of the talks aimed at halting a civil war that has killed more than 65,000 people since 1983.

The Tigers have warned they will pull out of the talks if attacks by the military continue, and President Mahinda Rajapakse has warned the armed forces will counter any provocation from the rebels.

Sporadic fighting continues. The military says it has killed 20 rebel fighters since Sunday in the restive east. Hundreds of civilians, troops and rebel fighters have been killed so far this year.

Reuters

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