Colombo: The United States has asked Sri Lanka's President and Prime Minister to end their power struggle that is preventing the resumption of peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels.

US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead delivered two letters from US Secretary of State Colin Powell to President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier this week.

"The Secretary has sent private letters to the President and Prime Minister and both letters communicated his belief that a speedy resolution of the current impasse is needed," the US Embassy said today (Jan 3, 2004).

"He urged the two leaders to work together to resolve the dispute," Embassy spokesman Bruce A Lohof said.

Diplomatic sources said the US was anxious that the two-month-old political stalemate be resolved and talks opened with Tamil rebels.

Kumaratunga triggered the political crisis in November when she sacked three Ministers in Wickremesinghe's Cabinet and assumed their portfolios herself.

The Premier was in Washington for a meeting with President George W Bush when the President struck against Wickremesinghe's authority. Diplomats in Colombo have described her move as a Constitutional coup and a power grab.

"Powell has virtually said what Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage said earlier this week in Washington," a diplomatic source said noting the stronger language used by Armitage to urge the two leaders to sink their differences.