Colombo, Sept 04: Pressure is building on Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels to get back to the negotiating table months after they walked away. But if talks do resume, there is no guarantee of a lasting peace deal anytime soon. Two decades of bloody civil war came to a halt on February 22, 2002 with a Norwegian-brokered cease-fire. A series of promising peace talks followed, but abruptly broke down in April.
At issue is the shape, authority and control of a proposed interim administration for the Sri Lanka's north and east, where many of the country's 3.2 million minority Tamils live and where most of the fighting took place with the loss of about 65,000 lives. But so far the government has set out only limited powers for the proposed regional body. This has angered the tigers who say its scope should be wide-ranging and that they should run it.
For years, the Tigers have run their own separate police force, legal system and banking network in the areas they control.
Showing no inclination to give these things up, they've flatly turned down a series of government overtures in recent months. But now, there are signs they might be willing to talk about a new offer for an interim administration.

Key Tiger officials have been in Europe for the past two weeks discussing it. And, they are expected to put the final touches to a formal response when they meet Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran at his jungle stronghold in coming days.

Bureau Report