Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has assured the National Security Council that there would be no ceasefire prior to commencement of peace talks with the LTTE. Meanwhile, the nation's Army Chief said the LTTE do not have the ability to seize large chunks of territory anymore after the Army's recent offensives.
The 'Sunday Times' reported today that Kumaratunga gave the assurance to the three service chiefs while presiding over the council's meeting here on Thursday.
The President, who returned recently after a month-long tour abroad, congratulated the security forces for their major gains in the northern Jaffna peninsula in the latest offensives, made it clear that the government would not accept the LTTE's ceasefire offer, unconditional peace talks got underway, the newspaper said.
Kumaratunga's declaration comes ahead of a proposed visit by Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim to Colombo to break the deadlock over peace negotiations with the LTTE.
Bureau Report