Friday, June 2 2006 10:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Colombo: The United States yesterday (June 1, 2006) pledged more military cooperation with Sri Lanka, but said the assistance was to deter the island from returning to full-scale war.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs Richard Boucher said they will step up ties with Sri Lanka but expressed concern that the island was sliding back to full-scale hostilities.

"It is important to be clear that the purpose of our assistance is not to encourage a return to war," Boucher said after talks with President Mahinda Rajapakse.

"We firmly believe that there is no military solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict," Boucher said.

"Rather, our assistance is meant to help Sri Lanka deter a return to war." He said the US gifting an old coast guard vessel recently was a symbol of Washington's 'tangible support' to Colombo in its opposition to the LTTE.

The US outlawed the Tiger rebels in October 1997 following India's ban on the Tigers five years earlier in 1992. The European Union outlawed the Tigers on Monday.

"They Tigers need to focus their vision on how to achieve their legitimate goals through a legitimate process of negotiations," Boucher said.

"If the Tigers give up terrorism the US will be able to consider dealing with them," he said.