Diplomats move to salvage Lanka truce

Diplomats backing Sri Lanka’s peace bid on Saturday held talks with the Tamil Tigers in rebel-controlled territory to stem the growing ...

Diplomats backing Sri Lanka’s peace bid on Saturday held talks with the Tamil Tigers in rebel-controlled territory to stem the growing violence that threatens to derail the country’s fragile ceasefire.

Representatives from the quartet—the US, EU, Japan and Norway—went to Kilinochchi, 330 kms north of the capital, to hold discussions with Tamil Tiger political wing chief S P Thamilselvan. However, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said there was no breakthrough at the meeting.

The rebels said the diplomats had expressed concern over “the necessity to start talks on effective implementation of the ceasefire since it is felt that the ceasefire is running into grave risk.

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‘‘Responding to the concern of the co-chairs on the escalating violence, Thamilselvan said the LTTE is totally helpless in the current situation wherein interaction with the people has been completely cut off,’’ the Tigers’ statement said.

The rebels recently withdrew their political offices from government-held areas of the island’s northeast and claim they now have no presence in areas where there has been an upsurge in violence.

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