Dhanapala tells international community:

Stronger action needed to tame Tigers

Washington (Associated Press) - The top Sri Lankan official involved in peace talks expressed frustration on Thursday at the LTTE rejection of the Colombo airport as the site for negotiations.

Peace Secretariat Chief Jayantha Dhanapala said the LTTE was dodging resumption of the talks until after Presidential Elections, due by November 22.

Without talks, "the strain on the ceasefire is even greater," Dhanapala said at a congressionally sponsored forum on Sri Lanka on Capitol Hill.

The LTTE earlier Thursday rejected the airport site, saying it was not secure and "cannot be a venue for meaningful political discussions."

Dhanapala called for stronger international efforts to press Tigers to return to talks.

While the United States, Britain, India and Australia have condemned the Tigers as a terrorist organisation, other Governments have "rolled out the red carpet" for Tiger leaders. He did not specify any countries.

"The root of appeasement, or the carrot and more carrots approach, have not worked," he said. "We are not seeing any sticks by the international community."

He said such international indulgence, in the hopes that LTTE will embrace the peace process, isn't working.

The Tigers disclosed their position on the airport during a meeting with Norwegian truce-monitors and peace brokers.

Norway brokered the February 2002 ceasefire signed by the Sri Lankan Government and the Tigers.

Violence has increased in recent months and the ceasefire has been further strained by the August 12 assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. The Government has blamed the LTTE for the killing.

Dhanapala said Sri Lanka had no intention of replacing Norway as facilitator of the peace process. Criticism of Norway has led to calls in Sri Lanka for a new mediator, with India and the United States suggested as possible candidates.