COLOMBO, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Practical problems concerning Sri Lanka's troubled truce agreement with the Tamil Tiger rebels can be sorted out at the next round of talks in Geneva, an international truce monitoring group said.

    Helen Olafsdottir, the spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), said during an interview with the state owned Rupavahini television Friday night that the group remains optimistic about the next round of talks to be held in April for the situation to further improve.

    She said that "the violence has gone down and people on the ground are very pleased," referring to the end of deadlock between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels and the government in trying to enter direct talks.

    An upsurge of violence had gripped the North and East provinces since late November until the decision was made at the end of January for the two sides to meet in Geneva on Feb. 22-23.

    Olafsdottir said it is always difficult for the two parties to enter talks when violence mars the atmosphere and the truce monitors have noted with pleasure the complete reduction of violence is now prevailing.

    Nearly 100 soldiers died in a spate of claymore mine attacks blamed on the rebels, who in turn accused the government of harboring paramilitary groups who indulged in violence against them.

    The Geneva talks are meant to discuss the full implementation of the February 2002 Norwegian backed cease-fire agreement. Enditem