Japanese envoy Akashi arrives in Sri Lanka to help peace bid+

Associated Press, Sun October 16, 2006 02:36 EDT . COLOMBO, Oct. 15 (Kyodo) _ Japan's special peace envoy Yasushi Akashi arrives in Colombo late Sunday for talks with government leaders, the rebel Tamil Tigers and senior military officers as scheduled peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Oct. 28 and 29 hang in the balance.

The Japanese Embassy said it would be Akashi's 13th visit to Sri Lanka since he was named by the Tokyo government as special envoy to assist the peace effort.

Two other senior foreign diplomats, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher and Norwegian special envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer are also due for meetings connected with the peace process.

The United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway are the co-chairs of an international donor group assisting the peace process with Norway acting as facilitator.

Although the LTTE has not yet formally confirmed they will be in Geneva late this month for the first direct meeting with government negotiators since February this year, diplomats expect the meeting to take place, barring any major incidents in the interim.

Although Akashi had sought a meeting with LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, this has yet to be decided.

''He is flying to (rebel held) Kilinochchi and a meeting with (LTTE political wing chief) Mr. Thamilchelvan is confirmed,'' a Japanese Embassy official said. ''We have requested a meeting with Mr. Prabhakaran but that is not yet confirmed.''

The reclusive Prabhakaran seldom meets with foreign dignitaries, often citing personal security as a reason.

The Japanese official said Akashi will for the first time meet Sri Lanka's defense secretary and army commander during the visit.

Last week the EU and India demanded an immediate end to violence following a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Finnish counterpart Matti Vanhanen.

''Both sides are convinced that violence is not the answer to problems in Sri Lanka, and call on the parties to return to talks immediately,'' a statement issued after their meeting said.

The two leaders also expressed strong support for continuing facilitation of the peace process by Norway in the context of demands in Sri Lanka that Norway's services be discontinued.

Fierce fighting in the northern Jaffna Peninsula last week saw the army losing 138 soldiers in battle and 230 wounded, the highest casualty figure in a single battle since the February 2002 cease-fire agreement between the government and the Tigers, which now exists only on paper.

Although the government claimed an estimated 200 LTTE fighters were killed in the fighting, this is not independently verifiable.