Sri Lanka talks get underway in Geneva

Talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels started in Geneva on Saturday against a backdrop of escalating bloodshed in Sri Lanka.

Opening the two-day negotiations, Swiss ambassador Heidi Tagliavini called for both sides in the longstanding conflict to respect international human rights law.

 
This is the second time the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers have met in Geneva. After talks in February they agreed to stop all forms of violence but since then the country has slipped towards renewed civil war amid recriminations on both sides.

These talks, mediated by Norway and hosted by Switzerland, are aimed at trying to halt the violence.

In her speech, Tagliavini, the deputy head of the Swiss Foreign Ministry's Political Affairs Directorate, said she was pleased that the two sides had decided to return to Geneva. She said it was a sign of confidence in all parties.

But she underlined that the current critical situation had made it urgent to hold talks.

"Switzerland, as the depositary State of the Geneva Conventions, feels it cannot forgo its responsibility to remind the parties to the conflict of their obligations to respect international humanitarian law, in particular to protect civilians from the effects of armed conflict," Tagliavini said.

"Respect not only for one's own rights but for the rights of the other party makes the subsequent search for peace easier – an objective that we all, Sri Lankans and non Sri Lankans alike, must never lose sight of."

She said that meeting would be an opportunity to build on these principles and create something of lasting benefit for the Sri Lankan population.

The Geneva talks would be a success if "the situation of the civilian population improves and the violence subsides," added Tagliavini.

For his part, Erik Solheim, Norway's international development minister who is facilitating the talks, told the delegations that it was essential to cool the conflict.

"Even at the most difficult times there is need for dialogue," Solheim said.