International alarm as Sri Lanka war heats up

The International community reacted with alarm to the latest fighting in Sri Lanka, and delegates from three countries are expected to visit this week to discuss the renewed outbreaks in the conflict.

The United States said it was "deeply concerned" by intense fighting in Sri Lanka that has jeopardized new efforts to revive a peace agreement between the government and the Liberation Tigers.

The offensive in Muhamalai, Jaffna, came just hours after Norway announced that the two sides had agreed to meet in Switzerland on October 28 and 29 in a bid to save the 2002 truce and end an upsurge in violence that has claimed over 2,200 lives since December.

"The United States welcomes the agreement between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to return to talks ... but is deeply concerned that ongoing violence in Sri Lanka is putting the agreement at risk," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement issued in Washington.

"We call on both sides to cease hostilities immediately and foster an environment that is conducive to holding productive discussions in Geneva," he added.

"We also urge both sides to ensure that non-government entities involved in humanitarian relief efforts are provided access to conflict-affected areas."

The European Union said it feared renewed fighting in Sri Lanka could endanger the resumption of peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers.

Finland, the holder of the rotating EU presidency, called on both sides to create an environment for constructive discussion ahead of the talks planned for Oct. 28-29 in Geneva.

"The presidency is deeply concerned about the increasing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law," the presidency said in a statement.

It urged the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to ensure humanitarian aid deliveries had free access to areas hit by the conflict and that the security of humanitarian workers was guaranteed.

"It is crucial that the government and the LTTE now use this opportunity to cease hostilities," Erik Solheim, Norway's top peace broker, had said in Sri Lanka earlier Wednesday, before news of the renewed fighting broke.

The United States is one of four "co-chairs" of a donors group set up to support the peace process. The other members are Norway, Japan and the European Union.

McCormack said Washington was working closely with its fellow co-chairs "to find a way forward to an end to the violence and human rights violations in Sri Lanka and a return to negotiations between the parties".

The previous Monday, the co-chairs’ ambassadors had met with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse in Colombo and expressed their concern about the continuing hostilities between government troops and Liberation Tigers even after both parties agreed to resume peace talks.

Ambassadors of the United States, Japan, Norway and Germany representing the European Union met the Sri Lankan President at his Temple Trees residence. They were reported to have discussed the urgent need to cease all hostilities in the lead up to peace talks.

They also expressed their fullest support for the resumption of talks between the warring parties, press reports said.

Sri Lankan Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, reportedly told the Co-Chairs' ambassadors that the Sri Lankan military would continue with "pre-emptive" strikes in a bid to "curb terrorism notwithstanding with the ceasefire agreement."

The SLA commander had further said that whatever the military does in LTTE territory was a defensive business, according to press reports.

US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher and two other foreign envoys are expected to visit Sri Lanka this week to seek a halt to a the renewed rash of fierce fighting.

Boucher's visit, due to start Thursday, comes as the government and Liberation Tigers fight nearly daily artillery battles.

"He is coming to show support for the peace talks and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities," an official at the US embassy in Colombo said.

Mediator Norway's special peace envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer will also visit the island this week, his second trip in a month, as will Yasushi Akashi, the envoy of the island's chief financial donor, Japan.