Tigers deny offering fresh peace talks

Sri Lankan Policy Planning Minister Keheliya Rambukwella (L) addresses media representatives as the chief of the Peace Secretariat Palitha Kohana looks on during a press conference in Colombo yesterday. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have made an overture through truce monitors to revive their stalled talks and the government was positive despite the growing violence. PHOTO: AFP

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they had only told Norweigan ceasefire monitors they did not think the Sri Lanka government was interested in a peaceful end to the conflict.

"I only explained to the SLMM (Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission) head that the Sri Lankan government is not interested in peace after several gestures made by us," said S. Puleedevan, LTTE's top peace coordinator.

"To say that I have offered talks is a total fabrication," he told AFP by telephone from the rebel-held north.

However, he did not rule out negotiations saying the Tigers had always wanted a peaceful solution to the drawn-out conflict that has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.

"We always want a peaceful resolution to the conflict and that is why we have made several good will gestures, but the government has not responded favourably. They have a different agenda," he said.

The government said Sunday it was ready to revive talks after its top peace broker received a call from Nordic truce monitors late Friday conveying the LTTE's offer to resume talks.

The truce monitors were not immediately available for comment.

The government has accused the Tigers of seeking to return the island to full-scale war as the fiercest fighting since a 2002 ceasefire has raged between the two sides in the north and northeast of the country.

President Mahinda Rajapakse blamed the shooting of Ketheesh Loganathan, the deputy secretary-general of the Peace Secretariat, on the LTTE although there was no claim of responsibility.

"The president condemns the assassination and says this is the work of the LTTE and shows how they are targeting members of the Tamil community who are working for peace," presidential spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage told AFP.