Sri Lanka denies 'unconditional' talks with Tigers

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 September 2006, 18:18 GMT]
Sri Lankan government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella denied Tuesday that his governement will begin unconditional negotiations with the Liberation Tigers. "We will put forward our conditions," Rambukwella told the Associated Press. He criticized Norway for allegedly not having consulted the government before announcing a date and a venue.

"The government has not been consulted on any future discussions. Norway, or anybody, can't announce dates and venues," Rambukwella told AP.

"We will take it up very seriously, we are a sovereign state, they (Norway) are only facilitators. We have not delegated any of our powers to them," Sri Lankan government spokesman told AP.