Colombo: The proposed Defence agreement between India and Sri Lanka was "not hostile" and will not affect efforts to bring peace between the Colombo Government and Tamil Tigers, a top Japanese peace envoy said in Colombo today (Nov 2, 2004).

Japan's special envoy Yasushi Akashi told reporters that the Defence cooperation agreement between the two South Asian neighbours was not "hostile or aggressive and therefore would not affect the domestic situation."

Akashi said he was leaving for New Delhi to brief the Indian Government on the outcome of his latest visit to Sri Lanka to help salvage the island's faltering peace process.

"India is unquestioningly a major and key players who exerts a lot of influence over Sri Lankan affairs," he said.

Akashi said he was optimistic that Sri Lanka's Government and the Tamil Tigers will be able to get to the peace-negotiating table sooner than later.

Akashi said he was convinced that both Colombo and Tamil Tiger rebels did not want to go back to war, but neither side wanted to make the first move to resume negotiations stalled since April last year.

However, Akashi said President Chandrika Kumaratunga conveyed some "new ideas" to revive the Norwegian-backed peace process and the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) was carefully considering them.

"Neither side wants to make the first move," Akashi said after his weeklong visit, the eight since Japan took a hands-on approach to the island's peace efforts since 2002.

"But, I detect flexibility on the part of the Government," he added.