Government and rebels say they want to resume talks but are still locked in bloddy clashes. Air strikes hit area where Norwegian envoy had come to work on renewed negotiations.

Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Attacks by the Sri Lanka air force against Tamil Tiger positions have dimmed prospects of early peace talks between the two sides despite fresh attempts by Norway to avert a return to full-scale war.

"We have said that we are ready for talks. We have not placed any conditions," rebel spokesman, Daya Master, said yesterday. But he warned that the rebels would abandon the 2002 cease-fire altogether if the government persists with its military campaign.

Sri Lanka's government today mulled over whether to resume peace talks or not. Earlier it said that they would be resumed if the Tamil Tigers put an end to all violence. But today it was the government which carried out air strikes against rebel-held areas like Pooneryn, just 30 kilometres from Kilinochchi where Norway' top envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer had come to revive talks.

Rebels have accused the government of "bad faith" after the government's national security spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, said the government suggested October 30 or November 10 as possible dates. For its part, the government said that the air raids were in response to heavy rebel artillery firing.

The cease-fire brokered between the two parties temporarily ended Sri Lanka's 19-year civil war. About 65,000 people were killed in the conflict before the cease-fire came into effect.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) wants a separate homeland for the country's ethnic Tamil minority.

Renewed fighting since late July, however, has left at least 1,000 combatants and civilians dead with each side blaming the other for violating the cease-fire.

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