Date:06/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/06/stories/2006100613320100.htm

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Colombo-LTTE talks in Swizerland

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO : The Sri Lanka Government on Thursday announced that fresh talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would be held in Switzerland on October 28 and 29.

A Government Peace Secretariat statement said Colombo had conveyed to Norway that it proposed to engage the LTTE in discussions on "substantive" issues.

The way for the fresh talks was paved after the September 12 Brussels declaration of Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka, on behalf of 58 donor countries, urging both parties to cease hostilities and return to the negotiating table.

The current phase of hostilities has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced nearly 2.3 lakh people.

Amid this development came in the news of a declaration by the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party and its archrival, the United National Party, to sign a memorandum of understanding on a seven-point common programme before October 15.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, which was also engaged in talks with the ruling combine in an effort for a common ground, gave up the efforts on Wednesday.

It organised a major protest rally here against the mediation efforts by Norway and Sri Lanka Co-Chairs.