home
Virtually rejecting India’s appeal to “pause” hostilities with the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government said on Sunday that the conflict will “stop immediately” when the Tamil rebels lay down their arms.
Colombo
also said it had not received any formal communication so far
from New Delhi in this regard.
“We have not received any communication from India. Our position is that the Tigers should lay down weapons and violence will not be there,” Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said when asked about his reaction to Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s appeal.
“It is reported that the LTTE has offered a ceasefire. While this may fall short of a declaration of willingness to lay down arms, it is our view that the government of Sri Lanka should seize the opportunity presented by the offer to bring about a pause in the hostilities,” Mukherjee had said in a statement in New Delhi on Saturday.
