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The Sri Lankan Government said Wednesday it was committed to holding peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels, provided the rebels agreed to "a comprehensive and verifiable cessation of hostilities."

Earlier, the government had denied agreeing to unconditional talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), flatly contradicting a statement issued by international mediators in Brussels on Tuesday.

Colombo later re-opened the door to dialogue with the rebels, provided they renounced "terrorism and violence."

It also said the LTTE had used peace talks in the past to beef up their military capabilities, and asked mediators to mount an arms blockade on the rebels to prevent this from happening again.

"While the government notes the above concerns, it remains fully committed to participate at peace talks with the LTTE," it said.

"However, the specific modalities relating to dates and venue must be discussed and agreed between the government of Sri Lanka and the facilitator," it added, referring to the Norwegian Government, which acts as mediator in the peace process.

Analysts said the flip-flop may reflect disagreements between hardline and more moderate elements in the governing coalition.

It was also an attempt to present a more conciliatory stance to the international community, they said, after the rebels also signaled their willingness this week to talk.

"Both sides are trying to appear moderate and conciliatory, perhaps conscious of international opinion, but I still think there are huge obstacles to resuming talks," said Rohan Edrisinha of the Center for Policy Alternatives.

Sri Lanka's military and the Tigers accused each other of trying to restart a two-decade civil war that has killed more than 65,000 people since 1983.

In their statements this week each side has left itself room to back away from peace talks if the fighting continues.

The LTTE pulled out of peace talks in April and a new bout of fighting erupted in late July, killing hundreds of troops, rebels and civilians in the worst violence since a 2002 ceasefire.

Both sides have launched offensives since then, although the tide appeared to be turning in the army's favor.

It has captured rebel territory near the strategic port of Trincomalee and says it has overrun Tiger frontline positions in the Jaffna peninsula in the far north.

The defence ministry said the rebels had only agreed to talk because the war was going badly for them. "The LTTE's willingness to talk now shows that it has been out-gunned on the ground and overpowered by the aerial offensive of the government forces," it said in a statement.

The military is keen to press home recent military advances before the onset of monsoon rains next month and is reluctant to silence its guns immediately, analysts said.

(China Daily September 14, 2006)