Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Tuesday reiterated her commitment to peace negotiations with Tamil Tiger rebels despite opposition from her government's main ally.

Addressing her Freedom Party's international women's day rally here Tuesday, Kumaratunga said that given the chance more than 80 percent of Sri Lanka's voting public would approve at a referendumtheir preference for a negotiated settlement to end the separatistarmed conflict.

"There is no other alternative, devolution of power is the onlyone," Kumaratunga emphasized.

It was her first comment on the matter since her main ally the JVP or the People's Liberation Front had warned late last month that they would quit the government if Kumaratunga started peace negotiations based on an interim power sharing proposal put forward by the Tigers.

Kumaratunga in a critical tone of her main ally said that all forces if they had interests of the country at heart must agree toa negotiated settlement.

The Sri Lankan president said that the on going ceasefire since2002 had brought in some form of peace and all must ensure that noroom is allowed to experience any more bomb explosions in the capital or elsewhere.

Kumaratunga's government annexed power in the parliamentary election held in April last year by maintaining a critical line ofthe peace process initiated by her political rival, the then primeminister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Kumaratunga and the JVP accused Wickremesinghe of betraying thenational security by adopting a too soft stance as regards Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in the guise of theNorwegian backed peace process.

The Norwegian backed peace process stalled since 2003 is yet toresume despite many attempts by the Norwegian facilitators.

Source: Xinhua