The Tamil Tigers are ready for a ceasefire if the Sri Lankan government is willing to halt its military offensive against them, a pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam political party said on Tuesday.

"We have been told by the LTTE that they are willing to accept a ceasefire if the government ends the offensive against them and will hold talks on the Tamil issue," a senior member of the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance, Nallathamby Srikantha told media persons in Colombo.

"Our party appeals to both the LTTE and the Lankan government to hold negotiations and to agree to a ceasefire as this will ameliorate the plight of the Tamil civilians in Wanni", he said.

Meanwhile, the leader of the 22 parliamentary member TNA party, V Sambanthan said it was not true that the LTTE was stopping Tamil civilians from leaving the rebel held areas in the Wanni.

Sambanthan alleged the government was determined to continue the war on Tamil people in Wanni.

Claiming that around 50,000 Tamil civilians have moved over to the government controlled areas, Sambanthan said he wondered how the government can levy this allegation as it would not be possible for people to leave those areas without the approval of the LTTE.