The Sri Lankan government announced Wednesday that no foreign government would be channeling tsunami disaster relief aid to the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Harim Peiris, the director general of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement told reporters that all foreign governments would only deal with the government of Sri Lanka.

Peiris said he was cautiously optimistic about the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) coming into an agreement with the government for a joint mechanism to co-ordinate relief operations to tsunami victims in the war-torn north and east provinces.

The rebels have blamed the government of blocking assistance to the area for political reasons - a charge denied by the government.

Norwegian peace facilitators last week urged the two sides to agree to a mechanism for a joint relief effort.

Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who was also present said that as of now there had been no agreement with the LTTE.

Sri Lanka has announced that 1.8 billion US dollars would be required to rebuild the tsunami devastation.

Secretary to the Treasury P.B. Jayasundera said that bilateral and multilateral pledges would be able to cover the full cost.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2005)