COLOMBO: A senior Sri Lankan minister has said the proposal by the Tamil Tiger rebels for an interim administration in the war- torn north and east poses no threat to the country, reports said.

Mr D.M. Jayaratne, minister of telecommunications and general secretary of the People's Alliance, which is the dominant partner in the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance, said the proposal could be discussed to revive the stalled peace process.

Addressing a public gathering at Bulathsinhala, some 40 km south of Colombo, he said the Interim Self-Governing Authority proposal put forward by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels would be "similar to any other local authority."

His comments are in direct contrast to the views held by the other main partner in the UPFA ruling coalition. The JVP or People's Liberation Front is vehemently opposed to the idea of basing discussions with the LTTE rebels on the proposal.

They claim it will lead to the separation of the small Indian Ocean island country. The LTTE which is now in favour of a federal solution to the country's two decades of ethnic conflict wants the resumption of the peace talks with the government to be based on their ISGA proposal.

The government, under pressure from the JVP, wants the Tigers to link the interim administration proposal to the final settlement of the long-standing conflict. The Tigers came up with the ISGA plan in October last year after direct negotiations backed by the Norwegian facilitators came to a halt six months earlier. -By arrangement with Asian Age/New Delhi