Representatives from the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels began their first direct talks in three years near Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday, according to DPA. The two-day talks, brokered by Norway, are aimed at strengthening a fragile ceasefire on the fourth anniversary of the agreement signed by the Sri Lankan government and LTTE's leadership. The Swiss Foreign Ministry said it hoped the talks would breathe new life into the Sri Lankan peace process and that measures to build trust between the two sides would be taken. Norwegian Special Envoy, Erik Solheim, who is mediating the talks, remained cautious about a successful outcome. "The expectations are very big, but one must stay realistic," he said. He expressed hope that the talks would also lead "to the arrangement of a new meeting to discuss the other aspects of the conflict." The talks in Geneva were reported to be led on the government side by chief negotiator, Nimal Siripala de Silva, and on the rebels' side by the Tamil Tigers' Anton Balasingham.
