Colombo: Tamil Tiger rebels have raised the stakes in Sri Lanka's faltering peace process, by stating that they were ready for war in case of a change of government.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet.com website on July 13 quoted the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S P Thamilselvan, as saying they were still keen on peace but at the same time prepared for war.

"We are ready to face a war if it is imposed on us with the change of a new government. But we are firm in finding a political solution to the conflict through peaceful means," Thamilselvan was quoted as saying

The Tamilnet website also carried a report criticising the government over Defence Minister Tilak Marapana's visit last week to Israel.

The website quoted a pro-rebel politician, Selvam Adaikalanathan as saying they were unhappy over the visit and said it indicated that the government may not be serious about peace.

"At this juncture, the visit of the Defence Minister and commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Daya Sandagiri to one of its biggest arms suppliers, Israel, has created suspicion in the minds of the Tamil people that the government, like the former governments, is preparing for another war while talking peace," Adaikalanathan said.

"We consider the steps taken by the government ministers to strengthen the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy as a provocative act. We condemn such types of actions by the government while talking of peace," he said.

The Norwegian-brokered peace talks between the LTTE and the government have been stalled since April 2003.

PTI