A NORWEGIAN PEACE ENVOY ARRIVED IN COLOMBO TUESDAY AS SEPARATIST REBELS THREATENED TO WALK AWAY FROM PEACE TALKS WITH THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT IN GENEVA NEXT WEEK AND SPIRALING VIOLENCE THREATENED AN OSLO-BROKERED CEASE-FIRE. THE REBELS HAVE THREATENED TO WALK AWAY FROM THE TALKS UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES THEM WITH SECURED PASSAGE TO HOLD AN INTERNAL MEETING. THE TAMIL TIGER REBELS HAVE NOT RESPONDED PUBLICLY TO A SRI LANKAN OFFER THAT PEACE MEDIATOR NORWAY COULD USE PRIVATE HELICOPTERS TO TRANSPORT REBEL COMMANDERS TO THE MEETING. THE GOVERNMENT IS READY FOR THE APRIL 24-25 TALKS AND HAS SENT A TEAM OF JUNIOR OFFICIALS TO GENEVA TO TAKE CARE OF LOGISTICS FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS, SAID KETHESH LOGANATHAN, DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PEACE SECRETARIAT. THE CHIEF OF THE SECRETARIAT, PALITHA KOHONA, MEANWHILE ADVISED THE REBELS TO ATTEND THE TALKS AND PUT AN END TO A RECENT SURGE IN MINE ATTACKS THAT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE DEATHS OF OVER 50 PEOPLE SINCE APRIL 10. "This IS CERTAINLY NOT CONDUCIVE TO PROGRESSING THE PEACE PROCESS," KOHONA TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. SUSPECTED REBELS ATTACKED A MILITARY POST WITH HAND GRENADES IN TRINCOMALEE IN NORTHEASTERN SRI LANKA LATE MONDAY, INJURING ONE SOLDIER, THE MILITARY SAID. KOHONA SAID HE AND FOREIGN MINISTER MANGALA SAMARAWEERA WILL MEET WITH NORWEGIAN ENVOY JON HANSSEN-BAUER WEDNESDAY. HANSSEN-BAUER WILL TRAVEL TO THE REBEL-STRONGHOLD OF KILINOCHCHI THURSDAY TO MEET WITH REBEL LEADERS, REBEL SPOKESMAN DAYA MASTER SAID. THE REBELS INSIST THEY MUST HOLD A CRUCIAL INTERNAL MEETING BEFORE THEY CAN ATTEND THE TALKS. THEY CANCELED A TRIP BY SEA TO THE MEETING ON SATURDAY, SAYING THEY FELT THREATENED BY THE PRESENCE OF FOUR NAVAL SHIPS IN THE VICINITY _ WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SAID WERE THERE TO ENSURE THE REBELS' SAFETY.
