If we have to take any step, we are ready for it — Vajpayee

The PMO officials pointed out, "We have already reached a consensus on this. There is no need for us to reiterate our position. We are for a peaceful solution and not armed intervention."

The Prime Minister’s remarks comes a day after Sri Lankan foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said that events may force India to play a role in resolving the ethnic strife in the island nation. "It (India) is gearing itself up for assuming a role, one that might even be thrust upon it by events," he had said in an interview to an Indian magazine last week.

Meanwhile, fighting continued in Sri Lanka even even as the Government and the LTTE claimed the war was moving their way. The Sri Lankan Government said on Saturday night that the Army had "successfully thwarted" attempts by the Tigers to infiltrate into Jaffna, inflicting heavy casualties on them.

Government spokesman Ariya Rubsasinghe said a small group of terrorists, who had earlier infiltrated into the populated areas of Valikamaran East, had been destroyed even as fighting continued in Ariyali, Tanakilappu and Navtkuli sectors. "The government is determined to fight and there is no question of troop surrender or withdrawal," he asserted.

The LTTE had offered a ceasefire on May 8 to fecilitate the withdrawal of troops from Jaffna. The government had immediately rejected the offer and the same was reiterated by President Chandrika Kumaratunga who said there was no question of "surrender" or "withdrawal" of troops from the peninsula.

The Government spokesman also denied reports that the rebels had shelled the Kankesanturai Port, five km west of Palali air base. The rebels had fired mortars at the airbase for the past two days but no damage was done to the air base. The Palali air base is extensively used for transportation of troops and supply of essential articles for the soldiers.

Meanwhile, the Government said there is good response to the general amnesty offered for the army deserters. Some 1,500 of the estimated 15,000 deserters reported for duty during the past two days, a spokesman said.

The peace initiatives are expected to gear up when the Norwegian peace mission led by Deputy Foreign Minister Raymond Johansen is arriving in Colombo on Monday.

In New Delhi, Defence Minister George Fernandes said India has already made its position clear that it was ready to provide "humanitarian and other aid including evacuation" that might be sought by "all sides". But there was "no question" of providing military assistance to the Lankan government to fight LTTE.

Close on the heels of the visit of the Sri Lankan defence chief, the island nation’s Deputy Minister for External Affairs Lakshman Kiriella arrived here on Saturday from Colombo and left immediately for Bangalore. The minister said he was going to Bangalore to deliver an address at a function organised by the Sathya Sai Foundation there, and ruled out any official purpose for his visit.