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Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam chief Velupillai Pirabhakaran on Tuesday opened talks with Norwegian peace brokers in a bid to clear the way for crucial political negotiations with the government, Sri Lankan officials and rebel radio said.
Pirabhakaran was in talks with the Norwegian ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jon Westborg, and Oslo's peace envoy to the island, Erik Solheim, rebel radio said.
The key talks began a day after the chief negotiator of the LTTE, Anton Balasingham, made a dramatic return to Jaffna from London ending three years of self-imposed exile.
"There were informal talks yesterday (Monday) itself and the formal discussions are taking place today (Tuesday)," the radio broadcast said.
Balasingham, 64, and his Australian-born wife Adele Ann flew in directly to a rebel-held area of the island's north, instead of transiting through Sri Lanka's international airport in Colombo.
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