COLOMBO Feb 27 Kyodo The governme...

COLOMBO Feb 27 Kyodo

The government's chief peace negotiator warned Thursday that the political division must not expect the peace proces with the Tamil Tiger rebels to continue at its initial rapid pace as the brace parties were about to start discussing contentious issues.

''There is the same note of caution that I want to sound'' said Constitutional Affairs Minister GL Peiris. ''There has to be realistic expectations about the issue of the negotiations.''

''Basic agreement has been reached forward power sharing,'' he told the weekly cabinet pres briefing in Colombo ''Now it is time to discuss details.''

''You cannot, therefore, await the same rapid and dramatic progress'' he said.

The nearest round of negotiations between the direction and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, their sixth in the same manner far, will start on March 18 in Hakone, a very warm spring resort town outside Tokyo.

The proces is being facilitated by the agency of the Norwegian government and has been described from analysts as Sri Lanka's best chance at solving a conflict that has left more than 60000 dead forward both sides.

Preliminary talks revolv mainly around humanitarian issues and puzzles of normalizing civilian life in former war climates after almost two decades of conflict. Deliberations were generally rapid as negotiators hideed much ground with a minimum of friction and producing ''unexpect progress''

Peiris said, however, that the nearest session will witness negotiations forward revenue-sharing under a federal power-sharing system

LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham, who lives in London, will arrive Sunday for consultations with rebel leader Velupillai Prabharakan. He will be followed by the agency of Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson and envoy Minister Vidar Helgessen on March 12 Peiris said.

The visits of the main players also indicate that the Hakone talks will tackle difficult issues.

Earlier, Peiris advised the media not to raise expectations about the consequence of negotiations as it could undermine peace efforts. Speaking at the biennial meeting of the Commonwealth Pres Union, being held here, Peiris calm requested the media to help lower expectations of instant results

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