Later Premadasa himself initiated dialogue with the LTTE which went on for more than a year.

BBC: The road to peace in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka continues to experience strong economic growth, driven by large-scale reconstruction and development projects following the end of the 26-year conflict with the LTTE.

FORBES: Sri Lanka

When we were having discussions with the LTTE, I exchanged 44 letters with Prabhakaran, the first time he ever wrote to any politician in the south.

CNN: 'It Is a Very Critical Time'

The government, eager to end a war that has killed 65, 000 people and stunted economic growth, has tried to steer well clear of issues that might inflame Sinhalese nationalists, still unreconciled to making peace with the LTTE, or provoke the Tigers themselves.

ECONOMIST: The Tigers talk peace

Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said that 10 men had been detained on Wednesday in the Jaffna area, all of them accused of "terrorist activities" with the Tamil Tigers or LTTE before 2009.

BBC: Sri Lanka arrests: Jaffna police detain 'terror' suspects

Even after the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government regains control of territory previously held by the LTTE, it is unlikely to restart negotiations with the group.

ECONOMIST: Army setback

We hope that a democratic LTTE will go back to Jaffna along with the rest of the Tamil leadership and participate in the democratic process.

CNN: 'It Is a Very Critical Time'

If the LTTE is to pull out at any stage it will have to come up with another reason.

ECONOMIST: The Tigers talk peace

Repelled by the Tigers' terrorism, and with little sympathy for Tamil grievances, most Sinhalese support the government in its campaign to obliterate the LTTE.

ECONOMIST: The war laps at Sri Lanka's prosperous south