Colombo: In a move that could revive the stalled Sri Lankan peace process, Tamil Tiger rebels ended their eight-month long boycott of talks and said they were ready to open negotiations on the basis of a plan they unveiled today (November 1).

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) also asked peace broker Norway to arrange a meeting with Colombo to discuss the landmark power-sharing plan they publicly announced, a day after handing it over to the Government.

"We have asked the Royal Norwegian Government to arrange for a meeting at which we can discuss this proposal, in their presence, with the representatives of the GOSL at a mutually convenient time and venue," LTTE's political wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan told reporters in the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi.

"We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the Government and to reaching rapid agreement on the creation of an Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) so as to effectively bring normalcy and economic development to the Tamil People in the North East," he added.

Thamilselvan said they believed the creation of the ISGA would provide a conducive environment for negotiating towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the island.

"Peace to the Tamil people should be translated as peace and prosperity to the entire country," he said.

The Tigers had been boycotting talks since the last round of talks in March at Hakone, Japan.

PTI