India Calls for Negotiated Settlement in Sri Lanka

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says Sri Lanka's government and Tamil Tiger rebels should seek a negotiated settlement to end their conflict.

Mr. Singh said the Sri Lankan conflict does not call for a military victory, and he expressed concern about escalating fighting, civilian casualties and refugees.

Mr. Singh's comments came as a members of a regional Tamil Party in southern India called for greater restraint by Sri Lanka's military. The party said members will resign their parliamentary seats unless Sri Lanka's military stops its offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels.

The party is a parliamentary ally of Mr. Singh's Congress Party and provided key support to Mr. Singh when he won a confidence motion in parliament in July.

In the latest clashes in Sri Lanka, the country's military says at least 37 Tamil Tiger rebels and six government soldiers were killed in fighting near the northern city of Kilinochi, the Tamil Tiger's administrative capital.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Bloomberg.