Army seeks talks with Tigers

Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka said he wanted to re-establish communication links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to prevent attacks against government forces.

Fonseka's maiden press conference after assuming command of the country's 120,000-strong army was delayed for nearly half an hour after suspected Tiger rebels blew up an army tractor, killing seven security personnel.

He played down Tuesday's blast, the second since Sunday when another seven soldiers perished in an identical attack, and sounded a conciliatory line in sharp contrast to his military reputation as a hawk.

Earlier the United States on Monday called on the Sri Lankan government and the rebel Tamil Tigers to take immediate steps to prevent violence that has undermined efforts to revive a peace process stalled for more than two years.

Washington also condemned Sunday's attack on a Sri Lankan army vehicle that left seven soldiers dead, blamed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).