International   

Talking peace at the `Glass House'

By V.S. Sambandan

NAKORN PATHOM (THAILAND) Nov. 2. The venue for the second round of talks between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the Rose Garden resort, 32 km west of Bangkok, is a long way from the battlefields of Sri Lanka. Seated across the table at `Glass House' — the name of the banquet hall in which the talks are being held — the two sides have not thrown stones at each other. Instead they chose platitudes with the two chief negotiators — G.L. Peiris and Anton Balasingham — revealing their linguistic skills.

The verbal onslaught was launched by the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgessen. "Nothing is ready unless everything is ready," he told presspersons at the end of the first day of talks.

In Prof. Peiris' words there was "growing confidence" and discussions were held in "an atmosphere of friendship and understanding". "There is no need for exaggerated or extravagant language, but the peace process is moving forward in a very encouraging manner," said the Cambridge-educated Prof. Peiris, a former professor of law and one-time Vice-Chancellor of the Colombo University.

As they heaped praises, the two sides looked for words to tell the world that all was well. The LTTE's chief negotiator, Mr. Balasingham, made fewer appearances before reporters here, but superlatives were not spared to describe the progress of talks and the growing camaraderie. "We are very optimistic... the peace process is making progress," he said, adding that the atmosphere at the talks is "very constructive, congenial and productive". In his words, there has been a "remarkable improvement" in Sri Lanka since 1998, when he was forced to take a clandestine sea route to a Southeast Asian nation for urgent medical attention. Now he sounded optimistic enough to say, "no one is thinking of war".

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Russian stand sparks optimism on fresh draft
• Court approves Microsoft deal with Govt.
• Rights abuse widespread in Bangladesh: Hasina
• Governor candidate courts Indian Americans
• India's hard line prevails at the Commonwealth
• A flight from poverty and oppression
• Schroeder seeks to mend fences with U.S.
• Incorrect assessment: Pak.
• First Pak. woman attache ordered home
• Colombo, LTTE form joint panels
• Talking peace at the `Glass House'
• Musharraf convenes National Assembly on Nov. 8

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu