COLOMBO, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka's new Army commander, said Tuesday that a dialogue must be established with the Tamil Tigers in order to push the rebel group to continue honoring the ongoing cease-fire.

    Fonseka, who assumed duties as the 18th commander of the Army since Sri Lanka gained independence from Britain in 1948, told reporters that his troops were ready to face any threats from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

    On the two claymore mine attacks launched by the Tigers on the Army which accounted for the deaths of 14 soldiers on Sunday and Tuesday, the Army Commander said the LTTE had denied involvement in Sunday's attack.

    "We have to plan a strategy to prevent such attacks. Safety of my men comes first. But we need to talk to the LTTE to get their assistance to prevent such attacks," Fonseka said, adding that there had been a communication gap between the Tigers and the military in Jaffna.

    He ruled out the possibility that the two claymore mine attackswould "lead to conventional war of a very high magnitude" - but his troops were ready to face any threat from the LTTE.

    The two attacks have raised fears of a looming war after three years of a Norwegian backed cease-fire particularly after the rebel leader Velupillai Prabakaran's statement on Nov. 27.

    The Tiger leader said he was prepared to give time for the new Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to come up with a credible plan for self autonomy for the minority Tamils. Enditem