COLOMBO, Dec. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi said here Sunday that the Sri Lankan government is engaged in a comprehensive review of its policy on the Tamil Tigers.

    Akashi made the remarks before ending a 5-day visit to the island after meeting with new Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and other top political leaders.

    Akashi, a former UN undersecretary general, said Rajapakse's government is reviewing the whole process including the composition of the international truce monitoring group, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).

    "The government is looking at the possibility and the desirability of having the SLMM headed by a Nordic country other than Norway," Akashi said.

    He added that in keeping with the new government policy he did not travel to the Tiger-held northern province to meet its political leadership as he had done during all his previous visits.

    Akashi, who was appointed to his role as the peace envoy in October 2003, said that the Japanese government was willing to play host to the resumption of peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

    The Sri Lankan government and the LTTE held six rounds of direct talks between September 2002 and March 2003.

    The talks came to be stalled in April 2003 when the LTTE stageda temporary pull out from the Norwegian-backed process.

    The Sri Lankan president, who was elected in the Nov. 17 presidential poll, has vowed to review the ongoing cease-fire and the role of the Norwegian government as facilitator during the campaign.

    He however invited the Norwegians to continue its role despite opposition from his extremist nationalist allies. Enditem