HELD ENCLAVE OF JAFFNA AFTER THE ISLAND'S MAIN NORTH-SOUTH ARTERY WAS CLOSED ON MONDAY, THOUGH JAFFNA RESIDENTS SAID THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING DIESEL FOR THEIR CARS. SRI LANKA'S PARLIAMENT ON TUESDAY AGAIN EXTENDED BY A MONTH A STATE OF EMERGENCY THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE ISLAND'S FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER WAS ASSASSINATED BY SUSPECTED REBEL SNIPERS IN AUGUST. FOREIGN MINISTER MANGALA SAMARAWEERA MEANWHILE WAS ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA TO BOLSTER INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT, BUT ANALYSTS SAID THE ISLAND'S GIANT NEIGHBOUR WAS UNLIKELY TO GET TOO DEEPLY INVOLVED IN PEACE EFFORTS AFTER A DISASTROUS INTERVENTION IN THE 1980S. "DESPITE THE PROVOCATIONS, WE STILL BELIEVE A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT IS THE ONLY ANSWER," SAMARAWEERA TOLD REPORTERS. "THE LTTE ALSO MUST KNOW THERE IS A LIMIT TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PATIENCE."
