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Thursday, 23 May, 2002, 10:48 GMT 11:48 UK
Sri Lanka talks 'in doubt'
The rebels want the government to move faster
Landmark peace talks between the Sri Lankan Government and Tamil Tigers could be delayed because of a row over a key ceasefire accord, the rebels say.
The Tiger's chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham, accused the government of not fully implementing its part of the agreement, and said talks due in June were now in doubt.
"We are disappointed with the lack of progress in implementing the truce, this could cause delays in holding the Thailand talks," he said, after talks with Norwegian peace mediatiors. "It's 90 days since the agreement was signed but normalcy has yet to dawn in the northern peninsula."
Mr Helgesen is due to brief Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe before holding more talks with Mr Balasingham. For the last three years, Mr Balasingham has been living in London representing the Tigers, which is now banned in the United Kingdom. Delays Talks between the goverment and the rebels had already been put back from May to June, and the BBC correspondent in Colombo says mutual suspicions have been mounting in recent weeks.
His remarks came as the Ministry of Defence in Colombo sought to allay rebel concerns, by announcing that it was speeding up implementation of its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. Defence Secretary Austin Fernando also said restrictions on fishing in Tamil areas would be lifted at the end of the week, as agreed in February. A day earlier the two sides held their first direct talks in six years when a government official flew unexpectedly to rebel territory to hold talks with Tiger negotiators. More than 60,000 people have died in Sri Lanka's civil war since the Tigers began fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in 1983.
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01 May 02 | South Asia
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25 Mar 02 | South Asia
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