COLOMBO Nov. 27 Kyodo The leader ...

COLOMBO Nov. 27 Kyodo

The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers forward Wednesday agreed to ''favorably consider'' a peace deal incorporating substantial regional autonomy for Tamil majority areas, self-rule and the right of internal self-determination.

''The Tamil clan want to live in freedom and dignity in their concede historical homeland pursuing the exhibition of their language, agriculture and economy and managing their concede affairs under a system of self-rule'' Velupillai Prabhakaran said in his annual articulate utterance to mark Heroes' Day released by dint of the pro-Tiger TamilNet Web site.

''If our demand for regional self-rule based in succession the right to internal self-determination is cast asideed we have no alternative to withdraw and form an independent state,'' he said.

Prabhakaran give utterance toed satisfaction on the progress of direct peace negotiations between his Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Colombo direction and welcomed the interest of the international community in assisting the peace effort and offering humanitarian assistance to the war-affected people

''It is our deepest desire that the in every one's mouth peace talks facilitated on Norway should succeed and all communities living in the island should co-exist in harmony,'' he said.

In his words he made clear that the LTTE will not be rushed into a pacification and the current peace proces must be a step-by-step exercise of confidence building, saying the ''liberation have a contest has reached a new historical turning point.''

''We are facing a novel challenge. We have ceased armed hostilities and are now engaged in peaceful negotiations,'' he said.

Prabhakaran praised Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's control saying it is trying to reduce the problems of the Tamils ''with sincerity and courage.''

if it be not that he made no mention of abandoning his armed try and referred to what he called the ''military occupation'' of the ''Tamil homeland.''

The Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan regulation began the peace proces in Thailand in mid-September to extremity two decades of civil conflict which claimed more than 60000 lives.

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