Chandrika willing to talk with LTTE

COLOMBO, MAY 20. Even as the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, said she was ready for talks with the LTTE provided the militant outfit laid down arms and eschew violence, the army commander in Jaffna said the troops were determined to fight the LTTE and would not vacate the town. These statements assume significance at a time when the LTTE has appealed to Sri Lankan soldiers in Jaffna to surrender and avoid a bloodbath. The rebels, over their clandestine Voice of Tigers Radio also said those who surrendered would be treated with dignity and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The President, addressing a convention of youth at her residence here on Saturday, exhorted the youth to help the Government in its efforts to fight terrorism.

She reiterated that the Government was prepared to talk with the LTTE even now, if it was ready to abandon the path of violence, the state-controlled radio reported today. In a related development, the state-run Daily News quoted Ms. Kumaratunga as telling a meeting of political parties on May 15 that she would not withdraw troops from Jaffna even if the Tamil guerrillas attempted to kill her again. ``The LTTE demanded withdrawal of troops especially from Jaffna. But I do not want to do that even if I am killed.''

`We will not vacate Jaffna'

Meanwhile, the northern army commander, General Janak Perara, meanwhile, said troops in the peninsula were determined to fight the rebels and would never vacate Jaffna. On the LTTE's appeal to surrender, he said ``there is no question of surrender.'' Military officials in Colombo said ``it is another ploy of the LTTE after offering a ceasefire on May 8''.

In another development, Udayan, a Tamil newspaper published from Jaffna has been closed since Friday for allegedly violating censorship guidelines.

29 killed in fighting

Seventeen LTTE rebels and 12 soldiers were killed in heavy fighting in the northern Jaffna peninsula even as the Sri Lankan Government today maintained that its troops continued to repulse attempts by well-armed rebels to puncture army defences in the vicinity of Jaffna town.

``The counter-attack force went into action supported by heavy and medium artillery and caused several casualties,'' a Government release said.

- UNI, PTI

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