The Hindu Business Line : Britain, Norway tried to save LTTE leaders: report

LONDON: Britain and Norway made a last minute bid to save the lives of two Tamil Tiger leaders but in vain as the Sri Lankan troops closed in, the media reported on Saturday.

The LTTE's political chief, B Nadesan, and 'peace secretariat' head, S Pulidevan, had attempted to surrender, The Daily Telegraph said, in a report quoting Mr Vijay Nambiar, the UN Secretary-General's envoy and chef de cabinet.

The men were later found dead amid claims that they were shot while waving a white flag, and Western diplomats warned that the Sri Lankan government could face a war crimes investigation.

According to the report, British and Norwegian ministers joined UN officials in trying to save the two men as the Sri Lankan army moved to “annihilate” the rebels.

Friends of the two men asked Norway's International Development Minister, Mr Erik Solheim and British foreign minister to intervene on Sunday and in the early hours of Monday.

Mr Nambiar said he was contacted by the British officials who asked him to make the Sri Lankan government aware that Nadesan and Pulidevan wanted to surrender.

Mr Nambiar said he passed the message to Dr Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's foreign secretary, but was told the safe surrender of the men could not be guaranteed and that “it may be too late”. - PTI

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