COLOMBO, July 21: The Tamil Tigers have reiterated their call to restart peace negotiations on the basis of action to set up an interim administration for the island's war-torn regions.

S.P Thamilselvan, the head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, stressed the need during a meeting with the World Bank country director Peter Harrold when the latter visited the region on Monday, the LTTE website said.

The LTTE wants the government to revive the stalled peace negotiations based on their blue print for an interim self-governing authority. But the government headed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga contends that the proposals submitted to the then government by the LTTE in October last year should only be taken up as part of the eventual solution to the conflict.

The standoff has continued hampering the efforts by the Norwegian peace facilitators to start the process. The Norwegians are due to arrive again next week for another bid to break the deadlock.