Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka have named the members of a delegation that will meet government negotiators for landmark peace talks next month.

Rebel chief negotiator Anton Balasingham will lead the three-day negotiations scheduled to begin in Thailand on 16 September, the Tamil Guardian says.

He will be accompanied by his wife, Adele, who will act as secretary, the Tiger's legal adviser, Mr V Rudrakumar and development expert Dr Jay Maheswaran, rebel sources told the paper.

Formal peace talks were due to begin in May but were put back over arguments about the implementation of a ceasefire accord adopted in February.

Correspondents say the Norwegian-brokered talks offer the best chance ever to bring peace to Sri Lanka.

About 65,000 people have been killed in the the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) campaign for a seperate Tamil homeland since 1983.

Autonomy hopes

The Sri Lankan Government, which has not formally named its delegation yet, says the talks in Thailand will include no discussion of a separate homeland for Tamils in the north and east of the country.

The war has gone on for nearly two decades

But the Tamil Guardian quotes rebel sources as saying they hope discussions about an interim administration in the north and east will take place during subsequent talks.

The government has said in the past that it will consider giving greater political autonomy to Tamil-dominated areas - but only within the framework of a unitary Sri Lankan state.

Mr Balasingham held discussions with the Sri Lankan cabinet minister, Milinda Moragoda, and the head of the government's peace secretariat, Bernard Gunatilake, in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, earlier this month.

It was the second face-to-face meeting in less than three weeks.

Ban

Recent delays in the talks are said to be due to a dispute over President Kumaratunga's constitutional powers to dissolve parliament - a right the government wants removed.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said the administration was unable to press ahead with its political agenda because of fears she might call snap elections.

But last week a firm date for the talks was announced, and on Sunday the government said it would lift a ban on the Tigers on 6 September.

Reports quoting state-run television say the ban would be reimposed if peace efforts fail.