A TOP JAPANESE PEACE ENVOY VISITED SRI LANKA'S TAMIL TIGERS ON TUESDAY TO TRY TO CONVINCE THEM TO RESUME TALKS, BUT LEFT WARNING THERE WAS A RISK THE ISLAND COULD SLIDE BACK INTO A CIVIL WAR, REUTERS REPORTED. YASUSHI AKASHI DID NOT SAY EXACTLY WHAT WAS DISCUSSED, BUT HE HAD BEEN EXPECTED TO WARN THE LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM'S (LTTE) POLITICAL WING THAT CONTINUED ATTACKS ON THE MILITARY AND FAILURE TO TALK PEACE MIGHT SPUR THE EUROPEAN UNION TO MAKE GOOD ON A THREAT TO BAN THEM. HE APPEALED TO BOTH SIDES TO HALT VIOLENCE THAT HAS STRETCHED A 2002 CEASEFIRE TO BREAKING POINT, AND SAID HE SAW A RISK OF A RETURN TO A CONFLICT THAT HAS ALREADY KILLED MORE THAN 64,000 PEOPLE SINCE 1983. "THERE IS A RISK. THE LEADERSHIP ON BOTH SIDES MUST BE PREVAILED UPON TO REVERSE THIS COURSE," AKASHI TOLD REUTERS AFTER MEETING WITH THE TIGER POLITICAL WING LEADER S.P. THAMILSELVAN IN THE LTTE'S NORTHERN STRONGHOLD OF KILINOCHCHI. "I WOULD LIKE TO ASK LEADERS ON BOTH SIDES ... TO TAKE A WISE DECISION. BUT THEY HAVE DIFFICULT TASKS LYING AHEAD." THE GOVERNMENT HOWEVER ACCUSED THE REBELS OF STALLING, AND SAID A FRESH LTTE DEMAND THAT THEIR EASTERN COMMANDERS BE ALLOWED TO CARRY SIDEARM WHILE BEING FLOWN TO THE REBEL-HELD NORTH FOR A MEETING -- THE LATEST IN A LIST OF CONDITIONS FOR TALKS -- WAS ABSURD. "IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNTHINKABLE THAT THEY SHOULD COME UP WITH YET ANOTHER REASON OR EXCUSE TO DELAY PEACE TALKS," SAID PALITHA KOHONA, HEAD OF GOVERNMENT PEACE SECRETARIAT. "NO AIRPORT IN THE WORLD ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN." --MORE
