Colombo, Nov 30: Sri Lanka's peace negotiators have
left Colombo for Norway to take part in a third round of talks
with the Tamil Tiger rebels.
Minister of Ports and Islamic Affairs Rauf Hakeem left
the island this afternoon to join the rest of the negotiating
team in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.
Gamini Peiris, the government's chief peace negotiator,
and economic reforms minister Milinda Moragoda left yesterday
night for the talks beginning Monday.
Two rounds of negotiations held in September and October
to end the 19-year ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka ended
successfully, with the rebels saying they are willing to
accept regional autonomy for the Tamil-dominated northeast
instead of total independence.
More than 64,500 people were killed in the conflict
before a Norway-brokered cease-fire in February stopped the
bloodshed.
Bureau Report
