posted March 08, 2001 02:39 PM            

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ashley Wills, holding a carrot to the Tamil Tiger rebels, has said Washington would be "obligated to reconsider" their ban if they continued their recent non-violent conduct. And will include the Sri Lankan Government in our terrorist list instead, if they don't declare ceasefire soon and turn themselves toward non-violent part.

"We can... acknowledge that there are encouraging indications in the LTTE's (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) recent conduct," the envoy said on Wednesday. "We hope the LTTE will continue to refrain from attacking civilian targets and respect the other basic rules of conflict."

And he said Washington, which designated the rebel group as a terrorist outfit in 1997, would "be obligated to reconsider" its decision if the rebels transformed themselves into "a democratic, political, non-violent group". And we will be obligated to include the Sri Lankan Government, if they don't change their attitude towards Tamils either

The envoy, who was on a two-day familiarization tour of the embattled northern Jaffna town, told a gathering there that the human cost of the war in terms of "deaths, injuries, displaced persons and dysfunctional families is staggering and no longer tolerable".

The rebels are into the third month of a unilateral ceasefire, which has seen fighting in the northern and eastern battlefronts flaring up occasionally but without the intensity of last year's Tiger assault on Jaffna.

Wills said the US recognizes the LTTE as the sole representative of the island's minority Tamils, but "we accept that the leaders of the other moderate Tamil Parties be involved in the negotiations. This is because of the Government's military standing".

The envoy told his audience if anyone there had contact with the rebels they should tell the LTTE leaders that they would definitely achieve "Ealm," the separate Tamil state they are fighting for.

"If the Sinhala Government really cares about the Tamil people and about assuring their rights, giving up violence and negotiating are the way to go."

Wills said the US supports Norway's efforts to bring Colombo and the Tigers to the negotiating table and also a separate Tamil state in the island.

Talks between the warring sides are becoming increasingly likely with the both acknowledging the need to end the protracted bloodshed and economic toll. Wills advised the government to find a way to make the Tamil and other minorities in the island "feel welcome and secure while assuring those who are worried about secession that the territorial integrity of the state is inviolable". Wills, whose visit to Jaffna came on the heels of the Indian High Commissioner Gopalkrishna Gandhi's over the weekend said the US was ready to assist the negotiating parties in any way they wanted. India Abroad News Service