The Sri Lankan government said Wednesday that it agreed with Norway's proposal to hold talks with the Tamil Tigers at an agreed venue in Colombo to review the Norwegian-backed cease-fire.

The presidential office said in a statement that the government has informed the Norwegian facilitator of the urgent need to have a meeting with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to consider practical ways of improving the implementation of the cease-fire.

"The Norwegian facilitator has in a statement issued today ( Wednesday) proposed to hold such talks at an agreed venue in Colombo. The government of Sri Lanka has informed the Royal Norwegian Government that it is agreeable to holding talks at the proposed venue," said the statement.

The Norwegian government said Wednesday that it had determined that the only possible venue for the talks is the Colombo International Airport.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement relayed by Norway's embassy in Colombo that Norway will shortly call a meeting of the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE at the Colombo International Airport.

The government has insisted talks be held in Sri Lanka, possibly in a no-man's land, while the LTTE wanted either to hold the talks in their northern stronghold Kilinochchi or have them at a neutral venue abroad.

"This venue is in Sri Lanka, and hence should be acceptable to the Government of Sri Lanka. Any travel out of the country by the LTTE would have involved several hours of transit at the Colombo International Airport. Hence we draw the conclusion that this venue also should be acceptable to the LTTE," said Norway's statement.

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga had called for talks in the immediate aftermath of the Aug. 12 assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, a killing the government blames on the rebels.

The Tigers denied the accusation and agreed to told talks with the government, but said it wanted the meeting to be held in Kilinochchi or a venue outside Sri Lanka.

The LTTE was not immediately available for comment on the proposed venue.

Source: Xinhua