This comes a week after the killing of the Sri Lankan foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar. The talks will be the first high-level meeting between the rebels and the government in two-and-a-half years.

The Norwegian deputy foreign minister, Vidar Helgesen, described it as a really significant step forward for the peace process against the backdrop of the killing of Mr Kadirgamar.

He said the Tigers had agreed to discuss implementation of the ceasefire agreement after what has been a serious downward slide in the truce. It follows a meeting between the Norwegians and the Tigers' chief political negotiatior, Anton Balasingham, in London on Wednesday.

So far, it hasn't been decided when or where the talks will take place, but the delegations are expected to include political and military personal.

Earlier the political leader of the LTTE S. P. Thamilselven, told the BBC, that they will make a decision about talks with the government within the next few days.

The announcement comes as the President of Sri Lanka had directly written to the Norwegian Prime Minster Kjell Magne Bondevik, requesting an urgent meeting between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, in the presence of the facilitator and the SLMM, to review the practical functioning of the Cease Fire Agreement with a view to preventing further killings and other violations.