This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/5339262.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sri Lankan foes 'to talk peace' | Sri Lankan foes 'to talk peace' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels have agreed to hold peace talks, international donors say. | The Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels have agreed to hold peace talks, international donors say. |
| Talks are expected by early October. The news came after the country's main financial backers met in Brussels. | Talks are expected by early October. The news came after the country's main financial backers met in Brussels. |
| Norwegian mediators told the BBC that both parties had agreed to attend talks in Oslo "without any preconditions". | Norwegian mediators told the BBC that both parties had agreed to attend talks in Oslo "without any preconditions". |
| The BBC's Dumeetha Luthra in Colombo says the news is a major breakthrough in efforts to halt Sri Lanka's escalating conflict. | The BBC's Dumeetha Luthra in Colombo says the news is a major breakthrough in efforts to halt Sri Lanka's escalating conflict. |
| Basically expect both parties to stop all sorts of violence Norwegian minister Erik Solheim | |
| But the two sides' apparent willingness to talk is being viewed by observers very much as an initial step, our correspondent says. | But the two sides' apparent willingness to talk is being viewed by observers very much as an initial step, our correspondent says. |
| Neither side has yet agreed to any talks agenda or to stop violence which has raged for months. | Neither side has yet agreed to any talks agenda or to stop violence which has raged for months. |
| Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme has renewed its appeal for urgent measures to increase food supplies to thousands of people trapped in fighting in northern Jaffna peninsula. | |
| A spokeswoman said the two sides in the conflict were preventing aid from reaching those in need. | |
| 'Willingness' | 'Willingness' |
| The island's main donors - the EU, Japan, Norway and the US - said they welcomed the willingness of the government and rebels to attend peace talks. | The island's main donors - the EU, Japan, Norway and the US - said they welcomed the willingness of the government and rebels to attend peace talks. |
| Thousands of people have been displaced in northern areas | |
| The statement also said that the two sides should stop all violence immediately, and that the negotiations would start by early October in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. | The statement also said that the two sides should stop all violence immediately, and that the negotiations would start by early October in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. |
| Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim told the BBC: "Both parties have expressed willingness to come back to the table. We expect the violence will be stopped." | Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim told the BBC: "Both parties have expressed willingness to come back to the table. We expect the violence will be stopped." |
| It was unclear what guarantees, if any, the two sides had given or when fighting might stop ahead of any talks. | It was unclear what guarantees, if any, the two sides had given or when fighting might stop ahead of any talks. |
| Just hours before the talks announcement, the authorities said a troop offensive towards Elephant Pass in northern Sri Lanka was underway. | Just hours before the talks announcement, the authorities said a troop offensive towards Elephant Pass in northern Sri Lanka was underway. |
| "The government has throughout its existence for 10 months repeatedly told us that they are ready for talks without any preconditions and the LTTE has today confirmed that they are ready for talks without any preconditions," Mr Solheim told the BBC. | "The government has throughout its existence for 10 months repeatedly told us that they are ready for talks without any preconditions and the LTTE has today confirmed that they are ready for talks without any preconditions," Mr Solheim told the BBC. |
| "So basically expect both parties to stop all sorts of violence." | "So basically expect both parties to stop all sorts of violence." |
| Violence | Violence |
| Billions of dollars in aid pledges intended for rebuilding Sri Lanka rest on progress in talks aimed at a lasting peace. | Billions of dollars in aid pledges intended for rebuilding Sri Lanka rest on progress in talks aimed at a lasting peace. |
| Months of heavy fighting have displaced more than 200,000 people. Hundreds have been killed in violence this year. | Months of heavy fighting have displaced more than 200,000 people. Hundreds have been killed in violence this year. |
| Last week, government forces captured a strategic rebel stronghold in the north-east. They have also pushed into rebel territory in the northern Jaffna peninsula. | Last week, government forces captured a strategic rebel stronghold in the north-east. They have also pushed into rebel territory in the northern Jaffna peninsula. |
| Norway brokered a ceasefire between Sri Lanka's government and the Tamil Tigers in 2002 which is still technically in place, despite this year's violence. | Norway brokered a ceasefire between Sri Lanka's government and the Tamil Tigers in 2002 which is still technically in place, despite this year's violence. |
| The two sides held a number of rounds of peace talks until the rebels pulled out in April 2003 saying they were being sidelined. | The two sides held a number of rounds of peace talks until the rebels pulled out in April 2003 saying they were being sidelined. |
| The government and rebels did meet earlier this year for talks aimed at shoring up the ceasefire, but made no headway. | The government and rebels did meet earlier this year for talks aimed at shoring up the ceasefire, but made no headway. |
| More than 60,000 people have been killed since the rebels began their fight the 1970s for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east. | More than 60,000 people have been killed since the rebels began their fight the 1970s for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east. |