11-24-2006, 11:34 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tamil Tiger negotiator has cancer
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6176052.stm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Indian Foreign Secretary meets Rajpakse
Colombo, Nov 23. (PTI): In the face of renewed violence in Sri Lanka, Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon today met President Mahinda Rajapakse to discuss the worsening situation in the strife-torn island nation.
Menon called on Rajapakse and had a one-to-one meeting with him at his Temple Trees residence, spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage said.
Details of the talks were not immediately known. The parleys had to be conducted with candle and torch light as an electric short circuit caused a black out at the president's residence.
Menon's visit follows serious concern expressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over renewed violence in the island's embattled regions.
Meanwhile, the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said troops were advancing on positions held by them in the eastern district of Batticaloa, but the Sri Lankan defence Ministry said it was the Tigers who had initiated an offensive.
The Tigers said, they killed seven policemen in the east of the island while the Defence Ministry said they lost only four.
The Ministry said seven more soldiers were wounded in the battle, but gave no details of rebel casualties.
"The security forces sought the assistance of the air force to engage their (Tiger) gun and mortar positions in addition to the use of all other resources available there," the ministry said in a statement.
Fighting in the island nation has escalated in the past year despite a truce that is in place since 2002.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001...232013.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6176052.stm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Indian Foreign Secretary meets Rajpakse
Colombo, Nov 23. (PTI): In the face of renewed violence in Sri Lanka, Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon today met President Mahinda Rajapakse to discuss the worsening situation in the strife-torn island nation.
Menon called on Rajapakse and had a one-to-one meeting with him at his Temple Trees residence, spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage said.
Details of the talks were not immediately known. The parleys had to be conducted with candle and torch light as an electric short circuit caused a black out at the president's residence.
Menon's visit follows serious concern expressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over renewed violence in the island's embattled regions.
Meanwhile, the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said troops were advancing on positions held by them in the eastern district of Batticaloa, but the Sri Lankan defence Ministry said it was the Tigers who had initiated an offensive.
The Tigers said, they killed seven policemen in the east of the island while the Defence Ministry said they lost only four.
The Ministry said seven more soldiers were wounded in the battle, but gave no details of rebel casualties.
"The security forces sought the assistance of the air force to engage their (Tiger) gun and mortar positions in addition to the use of all other resources available there," the ministry said in a statement.
Fighting in the island nation has escalated in the past year despite a truce that is in place since 2002.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001...232013.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->