The Hindu : Front Page : No breakthrough for Colombo, LTTE

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Monday, Oct 30, 2006
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No breakthrough for Colombo, LTTE

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: The two-day talks between the Sri Lanka Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ended in Geneva on Sunday without an agreement on any of the issues or future engagement.

The dialogue collapsed on the subject of the closure of the A9 Highway, which links Jaffna peninsula and the rest of the country.

The Tamil Tigers insisted that the peace process was contingent on re-opening of the highway, while the Government said it was compelled to close the highway for security reasons and that the LTTE was raking up the issue as it was not serious about discussing "core political issues."

The Norwegian Minister and key figure in the peace process, Eric Solheim, told journalists that in its capacity as facilitator, his country would continue to be engaged in shuttle diplomacy to persuade the two sides to return to the dialogue table.

Geneva-2, as it came to be known, was a tricky affair as both Colombo and the LTTE were reluctant parties. The world community dragged them to the negotiating table after the latest phase of hostilities resulted in over 3,000 deaths and the displacement of 2.5 lakh people.

The outcome of the talks was evident on the opening day itself when both sides traded charges and harsh words. Norway did its best to persuade the two sides on the merits of staying engaged.

At the heart of the problem was the agenda for the talks. The Government wanted to focus on "core political issues," including democracy and human rights, while the LTTE delegation wanted the human crisis, including the closure of the A 9 Highway, to be accorded priority.

The LTTE made it known that the "peace process" could not move on until the closure of the A 9 was lifted and the needs of an estimated 2.5 lakh displaced people were met. The Government maintained that it was doing its utmost to help those affected by the conflict.

The Government alleged that the Tigers were keen on re-opening the highway with an eye on the revenue it generated.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Solheim delivered a stern warning about the growing impatience of the international community on the unending conflict in the island nation.

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