Tigers agree to peace talks in Oslo

If President Mahinda Rajapakse agrees to the dates and venue, the talks will come after months of deadlock and weeks of the worst violence since a 2002 ceasefire in which hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced.

"The Tigers have agreed to go to Oslo for talks on Oct. 28-30," the source said on condition of anonymity after envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer met the Tigers' political wing leadership in the northern rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi.

The Sri Lankan government has told peace mediator Norway it would be prepared to hold talks either on Oct 30 or on Nov 10 due to parliamentary commitments.

"This is positive news," said one senior government official, asking not to be named, saying President Mahinda Rajapakse would still need to give the final approval on the Tiger dates.

"We need to work out some of the details," he added.

The government and the rebels have repeatedly said they are ready to resume talks after a five-month impasse. But sporadic fighting continues -- the air force bombed rebel territory in the north on Tuesday after the Tigers fired artillery at army positions -- and Nordic truce monitors see little will from either side to halt the violence.

Some analysts fear talks might be premature given the upsurge in fighting, the worst since a 2002 truce.

Emboldened by the capture of strategic rebel territory south of the northeast harbour of Trincomalee, some military officials say they are keen to inflict as many casualties on the Tigers as possible before talks.

The Tigers have warned the tattered truce will collapse completely if military attacks on their territory continue.

Analysts suspect shadowy Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is buying time. They say he's ready for his political wing to talk with the government to give his forces the chance to regroup after fierce aerial bombing, artillery and rocket fire by the security forces.

Prabhakaran's annual Heroes' Day address in November is approaching, and after two consecutive years threatening to resume the Tigers' freedom struggle for a separate homeland, is seen under pressure.