Govt. says ready for talks

Though aware of LTTE's past deceit:

Manjula FERNANDO

COLOMBO: The Government said it has accepted an offer by the LTTE to re-open Peace Talks, through the truce monitors' Chief on Friday.

"As soon as the LTTE is ready we will start talks. The offer for negotiations have always been open," Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday adding despite the fact they were dealing with a 'ruthless terrorist organisation' the efforts for a peaceful settlement has not been abandoned by the Government.

Addressing reporters at a press conference at the Peace Secretariat Minister Rambukwella said the President has made it very clear that the doors for negotiations were still open.

Asked how far the Government was going to tolerate the LTTE, Minister Rambukwella said "As far as a peaceful resolution is concerned tolerance will be stretched to the maximum."

"This stand has not changed but given the state of affairs we have taken a stern decision not to be silent in the face of LTTE terrorism. We will not let the terrorists underestimate national security."

He said the Government will retaliate LTTE attacks in the future as well. Asked if the current state of heightened violence in the North East will hamper any attempts towards negotiations, he said there had been negotiations during times of violence in the past.

The offer to re-commence 'Peace Talks' has come from S. P. Thamilselvam and had been conveyed to SCOPP Chief Dr. Palitha Kohona over the phone by the SLMM Chief Ulf Henrickson on Friday.

However, the Minister said they had been tricked by the LTTE before and they were not totally convinced that this was not such a ploy by the Tigers longing some breathing space.