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Commonwealth welcomes Sri Lankan truce deal

The Commonwealth has welcomed a ceasefire signed between the Sri Lankan Government and Tamil Tiger separtatist rebels after 19 years of civil war.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Don Mc Kinnon, says the breakthrough represents an opportunity for lasting peace after years of suffering.

The United States has also welcomed the agreement and says it will continue to support efforts to forge a permanent peace deal.

However, as South Asia correspondent Jonathan Harley reports optimism that the peace will hold is being cooled by a history of previous failures.

"The Norwegian-brokered agreement is expected to pave the way for substantive political talks perhaps as early as next month. But the optimism is tempered by caution the last formal truce collapsed after a hundred days. This time Scandinavian observers will monitor the ceasefire and both sides are required to give two week's notice if they want to pull out of the truce, compared with three days under the previous deal."

24/02/2002 12:47:16 | ABC Radio Australia News

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