Norway resumes bid for peace

said.

As per Solheim’s new peace proposals, the LTTE, in addition to cease-fire, should declare a moratorium on all hostile activities, including its suicide bomb attacks and assassination attempts on top government leaders. The rebel group was also expected to release all prisoners in its custody.

In return, the Sri Lankan government would have to lift the economic embargo on areas held by the rebels before talks could commence, the report said.

The newspaper said that Norway has also suggested setting up an international committee to monitor the preliminary phase of the de-escalation process.

However, it is not clear whether Solheim would visit the rebel-held areas in the North to meet LTTE Chief V Prabhakaran for a second time.

Earlier, Solheim had initiated the process after meeting Prabhakaran at LTTE-held northern Vanni in November this year. After that LTTE, which said it was prepared to hold unconditional talks with the government, started insisting on both sides declaring a cease-fire.

But the Government rejected the LTTE offer saying the talks could begin without any interruption to the fighting and an agreement could be reached on a cease-fire, depending on the progress of the talks.

Also undeterred by LTTE’s cease-fire, the Sri Lankan armycontinued its offensive and captured large tracts of territory from LTTE.

The government’s position was again reiterated today byConstitutional Affairs Minister G L Peiris, who was quoted by state-run newspaper Sunday Observer as saying: "We are waiting to begin peace talks without any conditions as agreed with the Norwegian facilitator and we want to start the talks now".

“Once the talks begin, a ceasefire will be a step in the process. As the talks proceed we can come to an agreement on various matters related to the war. After all that is the whole purpose of holding talks,” he said.