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Breakthrough for Sri Lankan peace
OSLO, Norway (CNN) -- The Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels have agreed to a peace deal to share power under a federal system of government, paving the way for an end to almost two decades of civil war. The joint declaration was reached during the third round of peace talks in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. Norway is facilitating the peace process and also helping to monitor the cease-fire which has been in place for the past 10 months between the government forces and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE have been fighting a 19-year-old civil war for a homeland in the north of the country for the nation's Tamil minority. More than 60,000 people have been killed in the bitter conflict. The breakthrough represents significant concessions from both sides, and comes after the rebel leadership announced last month it would drop its push for an independent homeland and accept a high degree of autonomy instead. AutonomyThe preliminary peace plan, announced Thursday, calls for the Tamils to have autonomy in areas of the country dominated by the Tamil minority. The group will still be included in the federal government but are expected to have a high degree of internal self-determination under the deal. The agreement is expected to be approved by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her People's Alliance party. Kumaratunga has voiced concern that a peace agreement would divide the Indian Ocean island-nation. A joint statement issued after the talks said both sides had agreed that "new concrete measures will be taken to facilitate further de-escalation." 'Yearning for peace'Government negotiator Gamini Peiris said the breakthrough demonstrated a commitment to peace from both sides. "There is not going to be a war. We are certain of that," he told reporters. "The people of the country are yearning for peace." His comments were echoed by his Tamil counterpart, Anton Balasingham, who said "there is no need to resort to violence." The announcement came almost exactly a year after parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka saw the election of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Wickremesinghe won on a campaign pledge to bring an end to the bloody and economically costly war and make peace with the Tamil Tigers. Much of Sri Lanka has been left in ruins by the conflict and more than 1.6 million people have been displaced from their homes. Both sides are now pinning their hopes on international donors to help fund the island's recovery process. -- CNN's Kasra Naji contributed to this report
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