Abstract
Under the auspices of a Norwegian peace initiative, the Sri Lankan government, led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are edging hesitantly towards talks intended to bring the island's 18-year civil war to an end. Both are propelled by a mix of external and domestic pressures, but the political problems standing in the way of any peaceful solution remain formidable. If the two sides do finally meet over the negotiating table, the best that can be hoped for will be an agreement on a prolonged period of cease-fire, rather than any bold political departure. Nonetheless, this would at least buy time in which currently entrenched – and to date irreconcilable – positions might become less inflexible.
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