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No more talks at Chateau de Bossey
By Shimali Senanayake
The next round of talks between the government and the LTTE will not take place at the Chateau de Bossy, officials said. Among the reasons for moving out of the chateau was that the venue has already been booked for the April 19-21 period, officials involved in the peace process said on condition of anonymity.

The chateau situated in Celigny, just outside the Swiss capital Geneva is owned by the World Council of Churches. Though referred to as a chateau or castle, it is more like a hostel and often used as an international study and conference center, according to locals.

Some of the other reasons to rule out Bossey included complaints from some members of the delegation, housed on the attic floor of the chateau that they had knocked their heads on the roof!

The Chateau de Bossey was picked for the Feb. 22-23 talks -- the first high-level meeting between the parties in three years -- as it was also known for its enigmatic effects toward reconciliation.

The buildings of the institute date mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries and are surrounded by gardens, woods and vineyards with a splendid view of Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps.

Swiss officials who are in charge of finalizing the venue for the next round of negotiations are currently exploring several options on where to host the talks, the officials said.

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