Deadly blast greets new US-Norway peace push

Chief Negotiator and Political Strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Anton Balasingham (2R) walks with LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran (L) and LTTE political leader S. P Thamilchelvan (C) after arriving in Kilinochchi yesterday by Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter. PHOTO: AFP

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) led the attack in the east coast district of Batticaloa where four people died and 23 were wounded last Thursday, a military official said by telephone.

The latest blast, which also wounded four soldiers sweeping a highway for mines, raised to 149 the number of people killed in an upsurge of violence since December.

Norway's top peace envoy Erik Solheim flew into Colombo on Monday in a bid to jump start an ailing peace process amid fears that the bloodshed could reignite full scale war.

Solheim was meeting US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns Monday in a concerted effort to halt the violence.

Burns would "reiterate the strong US desire to see all Sri Lankans work for peace," the US embassy said in a statement.

The under secretary would urge the government and rebels "to resume talks on strengthening the ceasefire agreement as soon as possible".

The peace envoys were also meeting separately with Sri Lankan leaders.

Solheim, Oslo's international development minister, was to travel to LTTE-held territory Wednesday for direct talks with Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The talks, to be held in Kilinochchi, a rebel-controlled area like much of the north and east, would focus on the "current situation and ground realities", said the LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham.

"We will discuss very important issues with the Norwegian minister," he said in a statement.

After months of arguing over a venue for peace talks, a government official said it was hoped a deal would be struck for a face-to-face meeting with the LTTE in either Oslo or Geneva after a near three-year break.

"Solheim will be told that we are ready to compromise on the venue issue in the interest of getting talks started," said the official, asking not to be named.

The compromise offer and peace flurry spurred the Colombo stock exchange on Monday and the All Share Price Index rose 1.48 percent to 1938.69.

Prabakharan warned President Mahinda Rajapakse last November to grant the minority Tamils autonomy or face war in 2006.

Violence has soared since Rajapakse won elections that same month, pledging to rein in the LTTE and review Norway's much-criticised role as peace-broker.