Tamil Tiger rebels have held their first talks with Norwegian peace envoys since the tsunami, saying the disaster opened up new possibilities for a solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.
But chief rebel negotiator Anton Balasingham said the government must do more to get aid to Tamil-held areas.
"This is a sudden intervention of nature, for which we have to give total attention, leaving the political aspect aside," Mr Balasingham said after talks between reclusive Tiger leader Mr Velupillai Prabhakaran and Norwegian peace envoys on Saturday.
"We want to see this human tragedy ... open up new perspectives ... so that we can work out a mutual solution to solve the ethnic problem," he said after the talks in the rebel's administrative centre of Kilinochchi in the north.
The comments were in contrast to a rebel threat in November to resume a war for autonomy that killed 64,000 people after a three-year truce.
It took the December 26 tsunami, which the government says killed around 40,000 people across the ethnic divide, to give the long-time foes a common goal.
But Mr Balasingham also said after the talks with Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr Jan Petersen and peace envoy Mr Erik Solheim that the government must do more to build trust.
"Mr. Prabhakaran has expressed his disillusionment that the government has not come forward with positive, confidence-building measures to create mutual trust and understanding, which is crucial."
"The government has to do more to win the goodwill of the Tamil people," he told a news conference.
The Tigers have accused the government of blocking aid to areas they control. They appealed to donors for direct funding, saying aid should be distributed equitably between rebel-held parts of the north and east and the rest of the country.