Colombo: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has sought talks with the Tamil Tigers in a bid to revive the Norwegian-led peace process, official sources said today (Feb 01, 2004).

Kumaratunga sounded out the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through her Defence Secretary Cyril Herath, they said.

Though Herath declined to comment, Defence sources said that he had sent a letter to the LTTE's peace secretariat Chief S Pulithevan.

Kumaratunga had earlier accused Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe of making too many concessions to the LTTE in a ceasefire agreement he entered into with the rebels in February 2002.

However, officials said Kumaratunga was keen to uphold the truce, and hence the desire to open a dialogue with the Tigers.

In a related move, 'The Sunday Times' newspaper reported that Kumaratunga has offered to set up a children's' hospital in the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi as a sign of good will towards the rebels.

The paper said she was paving the way for the Tigers to open direct talks with her.

Meanwhile, the Defence ministry said there were no changes in the procedures for the Tigers to use the only international airport when travelling abroad. The same VIP treatment had been meted out last week to a Tiger delegation, despite Kumaratunga criticising such concessions previously.