Sri Lankan peace 'may be slipping away'

The Tamil Tiger rebels and Sri Lanka’s government must take immediate steps to resume peace talks or the country could return to civil war, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage warns.

“I sincerely hope that all Sri Lankans will see the benefit to the entire nation of peace, and reject a return to the disastrous wars of the past,” Armitage said in a videotaped message played at a US election party at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo today.

“I worry that a unique opportunity to reach a peaceful and permanent settlement might be slipping away. I certainly hope not,” Armitage said.