The United States is welcoming peace efforts in Sri Lanka, saying it is encouraged by the willingness of ethnic Tamil Tiger rebels to renounce violence and work within a political process. 

The statement by the U.S. embassy in Colombo Friday follows a rare news conference by rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in which he declared his commitment to a Norwegian-brokered peace process. However, the rebel leader said he still wants a separate Tamil state in northern Sri Lanka. 

A Norwegian envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, is expected in Sri Lanka Saturday, before scheduled peace talks in Thailand next month between the rebels and Sri Lanka's government. 

Almost two decades of war involving minority Tamils seeking a separate homeland has claimed at least 65,000 lives. A Norwegian-mediated cease-fire has been in effect since February. 

Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

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