Lanka, LTTE delegations leave for Geneva for direct talks

Colombo, Oct 24 (UNI) The negotiating teams of both the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels left for Geneva this morning to resume the two-day direct peace negotiations in a bid to seek a lasting political solution to end the bloody ethnic conflict.

Although the Norwegian-brokered direct peace talks are scheduled to be held on October 28 and 29 in Geneva, the agenda of the talks are not yet revealed or decided.

"Our negotiating team led by political wing leader, S P Tamilselvan left Kilinochchi this morning in a special military helicopter. They were accompanied by Norwegian Ambassador, Hans Brattskar," a LTTE spokesman said over the phone.

According to the LTTE spokesman, the rebel negotiating team, comprising its Peace Secretariat head, S Pulidevan, its police chief, B Nadesan and military spokesman, R Illanthiraiyan will leave for Geneva later in the day via Katunayake International Airport.

Some key members of the government delegation have already left for Geneva while the others, including the chief negotiator, Minister Nimal Sripala de Silva is scheduled to leave early tomorrow.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who entered into a political deal with the main Opposition United National Party (UNP) said yesterday that the country "is much closer to the peace than ever before" with the major political parties agreeing in writing to work together to find a lasting negotiated political settlement to the ethnic conflict.

Unlike the previous rounds of talks, this time around the parties are entering the negotiating table while waging an intense war mainly in the North-East region, which has left well over 2500 combatants and civilains dead and several more wounded.

Over 2,50,000 people, mainly Tamils living in the North-East have been displaced internally, while over 13,000 people have fled to the Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu seeking refuge.

UNI XC AKJ BST1347