India and Sri Lanka say peace talks with Tamil rebels should resume soon to prevent the island nation from plunging back into civil war.
The joint call was made after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and briefed him about his government's efforts to restart the talks.
An Indian spokesman said both countries agreed about the need to strengthen the almost three-year-old cease-fire, which is becoming fragile.
The stalemate is on the place of the peace talks. Sri Lanka's government wants to hold them in an Asian country, the rebels want them in Norway.
Norway, which brokered the cease-fire, is also urging the two sides to meet immediately to prevent a return to civil war. Norwegian negotiator Erik Solheim said the recent surge in violence has put Sri Lanka's truce at risk.
