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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Sri Lanka truce 'needs reviewing' | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Sri Lankan government has said that a 2002 ceasefire agreed with the Tamil Tigers should be re-examined by Norway, which helped broker the deal. | |
| Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that the agreement had been violated "over and over again". | |
| He said that the government would have no hesitation in breaching it if national security was in jeopardy. | He said that the government would have no hesitation in breaching it if national security was in jeopardy. |
| Correspondents say that while the ceasefire is routinely ignored by both sides, it still remains on paper. | Correspondents say that while the ceasefire is routinely ignored by both sides, it still remains on paper. |
| That is because neither the government nor the Tamil Tigers want to be seen - in Sri Lanka or internationally - as the first to declare it defunct. | That is because neither the government nor the Tamil Tigers want to be seen - in Sri Lanka or internationally - as the first to declare it defunct. |
| In the latest fighting, officials say the air force bombed a rebel training camp in the far north of the country. | In the latest fighting, officials say the air force bombed a rebel training camp in the far north of the country. |
| The military said they had no details of casualties after the attack near Kilinochchi. The Tamil Tigers were not available for comment. | The military said they had no details of casualties after the attack near Kilinochchi. The Tamil Tigers were not available for comment. |
| Truce violations | Truce violations |
| "There is no point in beating around the bush. Fact of the matter is that it (the agreement) has been violated over and over again," Mr Rambukwella said. | "There is no point in beating around the bush. Fact of the matter is that it (the agreement) has been violated over and over again," Mr Rambukwella said. |
| The government says it cannot jeopardise national security | |
| "As far as we are concerned national security is utmost, and we will not compromise with national security." | "As far as we are concerned national security is utmost, and we will not compromise with national security." |
| Mr Rambukwella said Norway should discuss the ceasefire with the rebels. | |
| He said that while the government was committed to the truce, it reserved the right to act as needed for security purposes, even if that resulted in further violations. | He said that while the government was committed to the truce, it reserved the right to act as needed for security purposes, even if that resulted in further violations. |
| Mr Rambukwella said that the air force would step up spy plane flights over rebel territory, which correspondents say are truce violations in themselves. | Mr Rambukwella said that the air force would step up spy plane flights over rebel territory, which correspondents say are truce violations in themselves. |
| The government's stance follows a rebel air raid on Colombo a week ago, which the Tigers warned would be followed by more attacks using their air force of converted light aircraft. | The government's stance follows a rebel air raid on Colombo a week ago, which the Tigers warned would be followed by more attacks using their air force of converted light aircraft. |
| "Neither side are respecting the ceasefire, and that does not bode well for hopes of returning to a meaningful peace process," Thorfinnur Omarsson of the unarmed Nordic Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission told the Reuters news agency. | "Neither side are respecting the ceasefire, and that does not bode well for hopes of returning to a meaningful peace process," Thorfinnur Omarsson of the unarmed Nordic Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission told the Reuters news agency. |
| Last week Britain decided to withdraw millions of dollars worth of debt relief payments to Sri Lanka, citing human rights and defence spending concerns. | Last week Britain decided to withdraw millions of dollars worth of debt relief payments to Sri Lanka, citing human rights and defence spending concerns. |
| It had earlier agreed to give $5.9m to help the country pay debts to the World Bank, but has now suspended the programme after making only half the payments. | It had earlier agreed to give $5.9m to help the country pay debts to the World Bank, but has now suspended the programme after making only half the payments. |