Oppn protest sours Lanka peace hopes

Colombo, Feb 4: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Sunday raised hopes for peace in her war-torn country by saying Tamil rebels had apparently responded favourably to her government’s invitation to negotiate.But a massive Opposition protest over a deepening economic crisis cast a shadow over celebrations marking the 53rd anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain.

‘‘There appears to be a somewhat favourable response from the enemy to our invitation to peace talks,’’ Kumaratunga said in Sinhalese in a televised address after taking a 21 gun salute near the tightly guarded Parliament building. ‘‘We will not give up the search for peace however small the opportunity,†she said, hours after Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim wound up a four-day visit which state media said had pushed the country closer to talks.

However Kumaratunga reiterated the government would not respond immediately to a unilateral ceasefire by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

‘‘We will not respond to fake ceasefires and only consider such a response depending on the progress of peace talks.’’ said Kumaratunga.