Colombo: The European Union (EU) today (Nov 26) asked the Tamil Tigers to renounce violence "once and for all" even as the rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran said he was committed to the Sri Lanka peace process.

After meeting Prabhakaran in the rebel capital of Kilinochchi, the visiting EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten told reporters that the international community expected the guerrillas to turn their backs on violence "once and for all".

"Whatever happened in the past, the international community expects the LTTE to turn its back on violence and commit itself to the peace process," Patten said.

He also had a briefing with India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Nirupam Sen after meeting Prabhakaran, who turned 49 today (Nov 26), but did not disclose details of his parleys.

He said Sen had a wealth of experience on the Sri Lankan issue and they could benefit from his knowledge. Sen was the Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo during the height of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operations.

PTI