Sri Lanka agrees to peace talks

By Dumeetha Luthra
BBC News, Colombo

News of the talks comes after mounting violence

Sri Lanka's government has agreed to talks with Tamil Tiger rebels after months of escalating violence with fears of a return to all-out war.

The head of the government's peace secretariat, Palitha Kohona, said the government was willing to come to talks on 28-30 October in Geneva.

Norwegian special envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer has been meeting with the sides to push them into dialogue.

The rebels have said they are willing to resume negotiations.

There is a cautious optimism in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, but there are still valid questions of sincerity that go beyond the moment of euphoria.

Critical talks

The rebels said earlier that the date and venue for talks were in the hands of the Norwegian facilitators.

Palitha Kohona also said the government wanted to discuss substantive issues which would lead to a long-term solution.

He said the government did not want to be bogged down in minutiae.

The rebels have been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland for over 20 years.

Mr Kohona said the government was willing to consider a federal solution within a united and undivided Sri Lanka.

He added that the authorities reserved the right to respond if the rebels continued any military actions.

These negotiations are critical because they are happening.

As one diplomat said, without them the alternative is escalating from a limited war to an all-out war.

Sri Lanka's experience teaches that despite any agreement the reality cannot be counted on until it happens.