Tiger rebels have rejected Sri Lanka's new proposal to revive peace negotiations despite international pressure to save the Norwegian-backed initiative, Tamil sources said Thursday. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) told Tamil journalists late Wednesday that they did not accept the latest offer made through peace broker Norway, the sources said.
"The Tigers do not see any real substance in the proposals and consider it an attempt to deflect international public opinion that is building against the government," a source close to the Tigers said.
He said the government was willing to consider "interim arrangements" to administer the island's troubled north-east region, but there was no specific mention of the LTTE's proposal for self-rule.
LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran last month warned the "freedom struggle" would be resumed unless Colombo agreed to discuss his self-rule plan for an "Interim Self-Governing Authority."
Tamil sources said there was no mention in the government's latest offer about President Chandrika Kumaratunga's demand that elements of a final peace deal must be taken up at the start of negotiations.
"It is not clear whether this is a climb down by the president or an attempt to introduce it when talks resume," the Tamil source said. "There is no clarity on this matter."
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