Sri Lanka 'in a subversive war'

Gen Furuhovde: There can be no military solution

A Norwegian peace envoy has said the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels are locked in a "subversive war" that threatens the three-year truce.

Maj Gen Trond Furuhovde, former head of international peace monitors, said on a visit to the island that the two sides must resume stalled peace talks.

Violence has increased in recent months and included the killing of the foreign minister in August.

The government blamed the rebels for the attack but they denied involvement.

The Tigers have been fighting for a separate nation for the minority Tamils in the north and east since 1983. More than 60,000 people have died.

The latest killing took place in Jaffna on Friday. The army blamed Tamil Tigers for shooting dead a policeman.

'Acts of war'

Gen Furuhovde said in a speech in Colombo late on Friday there could be "no military solution to the conflict".

TAMIL TRUCE Feb 2002: Government and Tigers sign ceasefire paving way for talks Dec 2002: Both sides agree to share power with autonomy for Tamils in north and east Apr 2003: Tigers suspend talks claiming marginalisation Mar 2004: Renegade Tiger leader splits group in east Jul 2004: Suicide blast in Colombo - first since 2001 Dec 2004: Tamil areas badly hit as tsunami strikes Jun 2005: Aid deal reached with Tigers amid protests Aug 2005: Tigers agree to high-level peace talks with the government

"This is subversive war. Both parties are involved in this. It is alarming. All war is alarming. This is dangerous for the ceasefire and for the country," he said.

"We have seen similar warfare going on Iraq, the transformation of war into something else.

"What we see now, it's not only criminal acts, it's also acts of war."

General Furuhovde said that if the parties involved did not show restraint, the truce would come to an end.

Dozens of policemen, soldiers and rebels have been killed in the sporadic violence which has put the ceasefire under strain.

The most prominent victim was Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, who was gunned down near his home in August.

After the killing the government and rebels agreed to meet to discuss the terms of the ceasefire, but no venue has so far been agreed.

Peace talks stalled in April 2003, when the Tigers said the government had failed to honour pledges on autonomy in the north and east.

Analysts say little movement is expected until after the presidential election on 17 November.