The airport was once destroyed by the LTTE

Responding to a proposal by Norway to have talks at the airport in Colombo, the presidential secretariat said the government has informed of its willingness to the Norwegian facilitators.

The facilitators of Sri Lanka’s peace process have suggested Katunatyake international airport as the most suitable venue to hold talks on the fragile Cease Fire Agreement (CFA).

"Only possible venue"

“The Government of Sri Lanka has maintained that it wants the meeting to be held in Sri Lanka, while the LTTE has repeated its preference for Kilinochchi or a venue outside Sri Lanka.

On this background, the Royal Norwegian Government has determined that the only possible venue is the Colombo International Airport”, said a statement issued on Wednesday by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo.

Norwegian government proposes to have talks in Katunayake

The statement added that foreign minister Jan Petersen has called a special meeting of the Sri Lanka co-chairs (USA, European Union, Japan and Norway) in New York on 19 September to address the need to strengthen respect for the Ceasefire Agreement.

The international airport was destroyed by a LTTE suicide bomb attack in July 2001.

Kadirgamar killing

The Sri Lankan government has earlier proposed to start talks in no-man’s land.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, government spokesman and the Leader of the House, told BBC Sandeshaya last week that the authorities are keen to discuss matters pertaining to the violations of the CFA after the killing of Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Minister Kadirgamr was killed at his private residence on 12 August. The government accused the Tamil Tigers but they deny any involvement.

As the parties and security officials are based in Sri Lanka, minister de Silva said, the government is opposing the LTTE’s proposal to have talks in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, as earlier proposed by the Tamil Tigers.

“And there is no need to internationalise everything,” the minister told bbcsinhala.com.