Tuesday, March 14 2006 15:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Colombo: Sri Lanka today(Mar 14,2006) said it was optimistic about reaching an agreement on a 'wider range of issues' with the LTTE at the next month's talks despite the rebels' warning that the negotiations were in 'grave danger' amid the alleged military-backed attacks on their posts.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera during talks with his British counterpart Jack Straw in London yesterday 'expressed optimism that the second round of talks in April will lead to agreement on a wider range of issues' with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Foreign Ministry said.

It was referring to talks scheduled for April 19 in Switzerland with the Tamil Tigers. His remarks came even as LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham said the talks itself were in doubt.

"The Geneva peace talks will face grave danger if the Sri Lanka government refuses to disarm Tamil paramilitary organisations and continues allowing them to launch offensive military operations against our military positions in Batticaloa district," Balasingham was quoted as saying in the pro-rebel Tamilnet website.

The LTTE's political ideologue accused security forces of actively participating with armed Tamil paramilitaries in the recent attacks on LTTE's posts in Vavunativu and Vaharai in the Batticoloa district.

"These offensive military operations have taken place after the Geneva peace talks, where the government had pledged to uphold the obligations of the Ceasefire Agreement in disarming the Tamil paramilitaries and putting an end to their violent activities," Balasingham said.