The fact that proposals for a power-sharing peace settlement have been presented by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka indicates that the ceasefire in effect there since December 2001, is likely to hold. This is welcome news in a conflict which has claimed an estimated 64,000 deaths over the past 20 years, as the Tamils fought against the Singhalese majority, who they say are discriminating against them.
The Tamil Tigers have moved from a demand for secession to a federal (or at least a confederal)solution in which their rights would be deeply embedded over a prolonged period of transition.
The proposals include a power-sharing executive with an interim administration in the Tamil-dominated areas in the north and east of the island and rebel control of law enforcement, trade, revenue collections and land allotments there. Negotiations with the government could resume soon - they were broken off by the Tamils last April following what they regarded as a fruitless six rounds of talks.
For the government, led by the prime minister, Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe, these are difficult decisions. He has a slender majority in parliament, and the opposition complains that too many concessions have already been made to the rebels. A two-thirds majority would be needed to change the Sri Lanka constitution if a peace settlement were reached.
It is worthwhile persevering with the effort to reach a settlement. The 18-month-old peace process has set the scene for a dramatic improvement in the Sri Lankan economy, led by a foreign investment boom. The island has many attractions for international investors anxious to trade into the Indian market, but not to become embroiled in Indian bureaucracy.
Tourist numbers have soared, while overall economic growth is running at 5-6 per cent. A political settlement would copperfasten such progress, making it more attractive and tempting, even to the most entrenched sections of majority opinion.
One complicating factor is the role of the Muslim minority in Sri Lanka, which is claiming a seat at the talks and protection for its interests. But there is now sufficient sophisticated advice and experience in brokering settlement of ethnic conflicts in other parts of the world that it would be a shame to miss this opportunity. The Norwegian government is arranging these negotiations. The Fine Gael MEP for Munster, Mr John Cushnahan, has been an industrious observer on behalf of the European Union in Sri Lanka, and will bring his experience of Northern Ireland to bear on it.