Colombo: The United States on April 24 mounted a scathing attack on Tamil Tigers for suspending peace talks with Colombo and urged the guerrillas to make a firm commitment to end violence and terrorism.

The US Embassy in Colombo in a statement said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas should return to peace talks immediately and take part in an aid meeting Japan is hosting in Tokyo in June.

"We call on the Tigers to reconsider and to return to the negotiating track," the US Embassy statement quoted Ambassador Ashley Wills as saying.

"We also call on the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka to honour the terms of the ceasefire even while talks are suspended."

The LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham four days ago announced pulling out of talks to protest the slow progress in implementing "critical issues" relating to the peace process.

"We've reviewed carefully the ostensible reasons for these decisions cited in Balasingham's letter to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe," Wills said. "We do not find them convincing."

His remarks came as the French government too "deplored" the LTTE decision and asked the guerrillas to reconsider it.

Wills said both the government and the Tamil Tigers should use the break in talks "to recommit themselves to negotiations".

PTI