Top peace envoy Erik Solheim also reiterated that the Geneva talks were different to the six-rounds of peace talks held earlier. The talks _ aimed at fortifying the February 2002 truce _ are expected to be held for a two-day duration in the third week of next month, the officials said.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE, have already finalized their delegation to be led by the Tigers ideologue Anton Balasingham.

Balasingham, left the island Saturday after participating in crucial talks between the LTTE leader and Norwegian peace brokers three days earlier, that resulted in a breakthrough to revive negotiations between the government and the rebels.

War fears had spiraled in Sri Lanka following a wave of killings that had killed more than 100 people, mostly security forces. Thursday's breakthrough came after a nearly three-year deadlock between the parties.

The rebels had been fighting since 1983 for a separate state claiming discrimination of minority Tamils by the 14 million Sinhalese majority. Nearly 65,000 people were killed before the Feb. 22, 2002 Norwegian-brokered cease-fire. Subsequent peace talks broke down a year later amid rebels demands for wide autonomy.

Discuss this story Published: Sat Jan 28 23:45:48 EST 2006

Addressing the launch of his government's youth assistance program at Weeraketiya, 227 km south of capital Colombo, the President said "the foremost task is to protect people's right to live, freedom to live. That was the main idea in going to Geneva."

He was referring to the decision by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels and the government to hold face-to-face talks in Geneva next month with a view to strengthening the ongoing fragile internationally backed truce.

Rajapakse said that all Sri Lankans must rally around him in the task of endeavoring to achieve peace, adding that he was keen to put an end to all killings in the country.

Over 200 lives have been lost since he assumed Sri Lanka's presidency in mid November 2005. The Tamil Tiger rebels have stepped up attacks against the government troops, killing nearly 100 soldiers. The rebel leader Velupillai Prabakaran warned at the end of November that his force would intensify its struggle for autonomy for the minority Tamils unless Rajapakse came up with a credible plan for power sharing.

The killings prompted the Norwegian peace facilitators to urge both sides for restraint and get back to the negotiating table.

Last Wednesday, Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim succeeded in ending the deadlock with his meeting with the rebel leader Prabakaran.

The two sides will meet in Geneva in mid-February for the first direct talks since March 2003. The two sides agreed to end violence forthwith in order to create a conducive atmosphere for talks. More...

Discuss this story Published: Sat Jan 28 19:35:01 EST 2006

The demand includes the release of one time Minister and UNP heavyweight S.B. Dissanayake as pre-conditions to support any peace efforts.

"We will do everything possible to help the government to usher in peace. We would by no means sabotage any effort of the government to bring peace," Party Deputy General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said.

"But if the government wants our help they should first stop provoking us," he said, urging the government to stop baiting opposition MPs to government ranks by offering them portfolios and other perks and privileges.

"We also want the government to base the next local government election on the 2005 voters' list instead of 2004, which we consider erroneous," he added.

He said the party always stood for a negotiated settlement and stressed the UNP would support the government, provided they heed what he called their just demands. More...

Discuss this story Published: Sat Jan 28 19:33:30 EST 2006