Colombo: Tamil Tiger rebels today (Nov 13) said they would honour a truce, but asked peace-broker Norway to provide equivalent guarantees from the beleaguered Sri Lankan Government as the political turmoil has shaken their confidence in the peace process.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran told visiting Norwegian peace envoys in the rebel-held town of Killinochchi, "There should be political stability in Colombo for the peace talks to continue."

He sought assurances that the Government will honour the ceasefire brokered by Oslo and put into operation from February 23 last year, a rebel official said.

"The leader of the LTTE sought the guarantee from the Norwegians that the Sri Lankan Government would continue with its commitment to the ceasefire agreement," LTTE political wing leader S P Thamilselvan said.

He said, "The LTTE has to have a clear idea as to with whom they can continue the peace talks (and)… the crisis and confusion in the south has undermined the trust the Tamil people had in the peace process."

Tiger supremo told Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and special advisor Erik Solheim that the "LTTE will remain committed to the peace process and to the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA)."

PTI