Chandrika considering India’s diplomatic intervention

She said she would like to involve US, besides Norway and India, in the proposed peace process. More than 20 friendly countries have offered their services to render third-party assistance to negotiate peace between the government and the LTTE, she said.

Chandrika, however, declared that she would not withdraw over 30,000 troops from the peninsula on terms set by the militant group.

"Why should we withdraw the troops just because we are asked by the LTTE….Let the LTTE withdraw its troops before we begin talking.

"If it requires that I speak to Prabhakaran himself to bring peace in the country, I shall do it. I shall never consider him my personal friend, but it will be done," she said, as the deadline given by LTTE to Sri Lankan troops to withdraw from Jaffna ended this evening.

On New Delhi’s offer for humanitarian assistance, she said, "That comes in only if we lost the war. But that is the last resort which we would certainly use if the need arises, but we hope we won’t."

The Sri Lankan President said she would decide about withdrawing troops only if a situation arose where the soldiers would be killed by LTTE.

"We cannot have 25,000-30,000 of our troops getting hacked to death by LTTE. If it reaches a situation like that, we will take the necessary decisions.”

Asked about resumption of peace talks, she said her only condition for commencing the dialogue with LTTE was that the rebel group should agree for a three to six months timeframe.

Kumaratunga said she would talk to Prabhakaran only if she was convinced that he can be brought into the democratic process.

"All we have said (to Prabhakaran) : give up your terrorism, give up your ghoulish politics of murder and terror, and come into the democratic stream, you can even be the leader and chief minister of the devolved unit, perhaps even for a certain period without elections,” she said.

Asked about the Norwegian efforts to arrange a ceasefire, she said the Government has proposed that the current fighting in Jaffna could be stopped by both sides agreeing for cessation of hostilities, and freezing of positions before the commencement of the peace talks.