A Norwegian envoy (C) is present at the press conference when Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels say they would soon start talks with the minority Muslims on the Norwegian backed truce following their deliberations in Geneva with the government this week.(Photo: Xinhua)

COLOMBO, Feb. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels say they would soon start talks with the minority Muslims on the Norwegian backed truce following their deliberations in Geneva with the government, according to the Tamil press reports here Saturday.

    The Tamil press quoted the Head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S.P. Thamilselvan, as saying that the Tigers intend talking to the Muslims.

    It was not clear if the talks with the Muslims would occur before the next round of talks in Geneva on April 19-21.

    The former warring parties met in Geneva this week for talks, hoping to shore up a sagging cease-fire agreement and move peace talks back on track.

    Both the government and the LTTE vowed to protect and uphold the cease-fire which the government had dubbed as favoring towards the Tigers.

    The LTTE protested when the government set out to move amendments to the truce, saying that its full implementation should be the only agenda item in the talks.

    Thamilselvan said that the issue of separate Muslim representation in future rounds and the Muslim concerns in the multi-ethnic eastern province are the issues to be taken up with the LTTE 's direct talks with the Muslims.

    The Tigers were accused in the early 1990s of chasing out Muslims from the northern Jaffna peninsula in their ethnic cleansing moves. Enditem