Colombo: Sri Lanka has informed peace broker Norway that it was "deeply concerned" over the delay in resuming talks with Tamil tigers and the continuing violations of the ceasefire.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga told Norway's special envoy Erik Solheim yesterday (Sep 16, 2004) that the Government was concerned over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) refusal to come for peace talks, a statement from the President's office said in Colombo today (Sep 17, 2004).

Kumaratunga stressed that the LTTE's current indecision over resuming talks was unsatisfactory, but reiterated her commitment to maintain the Oslo-brokered truce that is in place since 2002.

"The President expressed deep concern over the LTTE's violations of the ceasefire and the delay in the resumption of negotiations, despite the flexibility demonstrated by the Government," the statement said.

Meanwhile, official sources said Solheim had failed to clinch a breakthrough and bring the two sides to the negotiating table despite his latest bid to revive the direct talks between the LTTE and the Government.

Norwegian peace brokers had yesterday failed in their latest bid to end the deadlock in the stalled peace process despite an apparent climb down by Tamil Tiger rebels.

Solheim, who held talks with the LTTE rebels in the island's north, had no new message to revive the negotiations aimed at hammering out a political solution to the drawn out conflict, a senior rebel leader said after the meeting.