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The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has said that Norway's efforts to finalise a structured ceasefire between the Sri Lankan army and the rebel group have made 'substantial progress'.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen met LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham at the latter's London residence for nearly three hours on Monday, at the end of which the LTTE political advisor was optimistic that an agreement on a mutual truce could be signed before February 24.
Matters related to the ceasefire are progressing well, and the discussions were cordial and constructive, Balasingham was quoted by the web site, tamilnet.com, as saying.
The separate truce announcements by the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government started on Christmas eve last year.
Their latest one-month ceasefire is due to lapse on February 24.
Both sides are optimistic that Norway will be able to finalise a draft agreement before that date on replacing the present temporary truce with a structured ceasefire involving precise terms and conditions.
The government and the LTTE have submitted proposals to Oslo on a mutual ceasefire.
The meeting, at which special envoy Erik Solheim and Oslo's Ambassador to Colombo Jon Westborg were also present, covered the terms, conditions, ground rules and modalities that will be part of the agreement.
While a long-term truce is being worked out, the government is focussing on steps to build trust in its commitment to peace among the minority Tamils and preparing the ground for further concessions that will bring the LTTE to the negotiating table.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been briefing prelates of the Buddhist monastic order.
He widened the consultation to other religious leaders on Monday with a meeting with the Catholic clergy. The Prime Minister called on Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando of Colombo and explained the government's steps to demonstrate its determination to go ahead with the peace initiative, state-run Daily News said.
"The peace process will be slow, and is being pursued with a warm heart and a cool brain," he told the archbishop.
In another related measure to promote peace, the defence ministry has decided on a thorough review of cases against detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Defence Minister Tilak Marapana asked his officials to review the cases of all suspects under the PTA and consult the attorney general's office on a final assessment on whom to prosecute and whom to release.
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