Tamil Tigers ready for peace talks, but could withdraw if military attacks continue:report

Associated Press, Tue October 10, 2006 06:55 EDT . COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) _ The Tamil Tigers' political chief said Tuesday the rebels will attend peace talks with the Sri Lankan government later this month, but warned they could withdraw if the military continues to launch attacks, a report said.

``We are ready for talks, and agreed to the venue and date,'' Suppiah Thamilselvan said after meeting with Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar in the northern rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi, according to the pro-rebel TamilNet Web site.

``However, if the military aggression continued, we will be forced to reconsider the decision,'' TamilNet quoted him as saying.

Rebel spokesman Daya Master confirmed the meeting, but did not give details.

Dozens of army personnel and rebels have been killed since last week in fighting in northeastern Sri Lanka, with each side accusing the other of initiating the attacks. About 1,500 people have died in increasingly heavy fighting since the last round of talks in February.

Thamilselvan described as unacceptable government claims that all military acts were defensive and retaliatory in response to violence instigated by the Tamil Tigers.

He urged the government to allow members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission access to the front lines on the northern Jaffna peninsula _ which he said the rebels had already allowed _ so they can ``judge who is the aggressor.''

``It will be too late to pass a final ruling on cease-fire violation after a major aggression has taken place and the entire island is plunged into a full scale war,'' he added.

Earlier Tuesday, government security spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that President Mahinda Rajapakse at a meeting with ambassadors on Monday said he had asked the Tamil Tigers to give up violence and terrorism, and join the peace process and be a party to democracy.

Rambukwella said Rajapakse wants the peace talks to focus on core-issues including democracy, allowing a multi-party system, pluralism, human rights, child soldier recruitment, development of the north and east and devolution _rather than discussing the 2002 cease-fire agreement.

``It is now high time to get into the substantive and core-issues,'' he said.