COLOMBO, Feb 13: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has welcomed India’s latest stand that the government of Sri Lanka should suspend its military operations against the Tigers, and the Tigers should declare “willingness to lay down arms” and begin talks with the government.

In its reaction to Indian President Pratibha Patil’s address to a joint session of parliament on Thursday, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet website praised India for accepting the LTTE as a party in any future negotiations to resolve the Tamil question.

Pratibha Patil had said in her address: “We are concerned with the plight of civilians internally displaced in Sri Lanka on account of the escalation of the military conflict.

We continue to support a negotiated political settlement in Sri Lanka within the framework of an undivided country acceptable to all communities, including the Tamils.

“I would appeal to the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to return to the negotiating table. This can be achieved if, simultaneously, the government of Sri Lanka suspends its military operations and the LTTE declares its willingness to lay down arms and to begin talks with the government.”

The Tamilnet website hailed the Indian president’s call to both parties to resume talks and for accepting LTTE as a party in the negotiations.

Ms Patil’s advice to both Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to suspend hostilities also found favour with the website.