Tamil Tigers welcome government's move to lift ban

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have welcomed a government move to lift a ban on them.

It raises hopes it will help bring peace talks to end the 18-year civil war.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says he is seriously considering lifting the 1998 ban that declared the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam an illegal group, provided he is assured of their firm commitment to peace talks.

"It is an encouraging sign of the new government's commitment" to end the ethnic conflict, Anton Balasingham, the chief negotiator of the Tamil Tigers, was quoted as saying.

TamilNet, a website that gives the Tamil perspective of the separatist war, quoted Balasingham as saying: "The de-proscription of the LTTE will be a recognition of the legitimacy of the Tamil people's struggle.

"It is not a concession by the government but an acknowledgment of our position as the authentic representatives of the Tamil people."

There was no immediate reaction from the government to Mr Balasingham's statement, considered the latest positive move in the island country's quest to end the conflict that has left more than 64,500 people dead and 1.6 million people displaced in a nation of 18.6 million people.

The main opposition party has declared its support for the government's peace moves.

Early in the week, the government and the guerrillas extended their ceasefire by another month, until February 24.

The rebels have been fighting since 1983, saying the minority Tamils need a homeland to prosper away from the domination of the Sinhalese, who are 76% of the population.