Tamil negotiators leave stronghold for Geneva peace talks

Tamil rebel negotiators today left their northern stronghold for peace talks with the government, after Sri Lanka’s main political parties pledged to co-operate to settle the country’s renewed conflict.

The four-member team, headed by the rebels’ political wing chief Suppiah Thamilselvan, left the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi for the country’s international airport just outside the capital Colombo in a government military helicopter, said rebel spokesman Daya Master.