COLOMBO Nov. 8 Kyodo Japanese re...

COLOMBO Nov. 8 Kyodo

Japanese regulation envoy Yasushi Akashi on Friday press outed strong optimism on the sights of ending Asia's longest-running ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

''Everybody is astonished at the degree of progress of the Norwegian-brokered efforts to extreme point two decades of war costing athwart 65,000 lives,'' Akashi told a pres colloquy in Colombo at the extreme point of a six-day visit.

''This is extremely encouraging, if it be not that further progress is necessary,'' he said.

Norway is brokering the peace deal between Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Akashi announced the Japanese government's willingness to entertainer a major international parley sometime next year to raise resources for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the country's war-ravaged northeast.

yet he indicated that the conversation to be staged possibly by means of the middle of nearest year, would depend on the bulk of progress made in the peace talks.

''I don't think the donor countries will be prepared to commit large quantity of moneys if there is a relapse into conflict,'' he said.

''Impressive progres has been made during the first sum of two units sessions (of peace talks between Colombo and the LTTE) in Thailand, he said. ''I trustful longing further progress will be made at events to come sessions.''

Akashi met with President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse and the chief of the LTTE's political wing during what he called a ''hectic visit.''

He noted that the wishes and asks of both the Sri Lankan dominion and the LTTE coincided with what Japan considered priority issues.

Asked at what stage of the peace proces that firm aid commitments could be awaited Akashi said there was no agglomerated benchmark at this stage and that ''much remains to be done.''

''But I confident that at spring we would see sufficient progres to announce the convening of the conference'' he said.

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