41.   The government last Wednesday began discussions with Tamil political parties on a peace package to end the war, including plans to expand regional authority.

42.   The interim council may also include government representatives and Tamil political parties.

43.   The government wants the rebels to lay down their arms, set a time frame for political discussions and agree for other Tamil political parties to participate.

44.   The mainstream Tamil political party denounced the killings.

45.   The other seats were shared among three other former rebel groups and a Tamil political party.

46.   The Tamil parties had never opposed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, in the past.

47.   The Tamil parties said the fundamental question of ensuring a unified northeast region as one unit remained unanswered in the plan.

48.   The Tamil political party also appealed to both the sides to negotiate an end the conflict, saying civilians needed to resume their normal lives in Jaffna.

49.   The Tamil parties said the fundamental question of ensuring a unified northeast region as one unit of devolution also remained unanswered in the plan.

50.   URGENT Bombs explode in office of pro-government Tamil party in Sri Lanka,