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- Dubai 04:32 05:49 12:21 15:48 18:47 20:04
Ethnic Tamils demonstrate outside the European Headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, to protest against Sri Lanka's military offensive in areas held by the Tamil Tiger separatist group. (AP)
The Sri Lankan government has rejected a US-led call to negotiate terms of surrender by the Tamil Tiger rebels, the country's defence secretary was quoted as saying in a report Thursday.
Gotabhaya Rajapakse said he would only accept the complete surrender of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are facing imminent defeat, the privately-run Island newspaper reported.
Sri Lanka's key international backers -- the United States, European Union, Japan and Norway -- on Tuesday asked the Tigers to lay down their arms, negotiate terms of surrender and take part in a political dialogue.
"Nothing could be as ridiculous as this," Rajapakse said. "Nothing short of unconditional surrender of arms and cadres could bring an end to the offensive."
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