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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Two key parties threw their support behind Sri Lanka's opposition presidential candidate Wednesday, boosting dovish Ranil Wickremesinghe's campaign in a tight race as he promises to be more flexible in peace talks with ethnic Tamil rebels.
As then prime minister, Wickremesinghe signed a cease-fire with the Tamil Tiger movement in 2002 and embarked on peace talks to formally end the conflict. He has vowed to give the rebels greater autonomy under a federal system of government.
The peace process stalled in 2003 because of disagreements over the Tigers' demands for wide autonomy in their northeastern stronghold, but the cease-fire has largely held.
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