Top Tamil Tiger guerrillas have opened discussions with Norwegian peace brokers to prepare for historic talks in Thailand with the Sri Lankan government, rebel radio said Wednesday.

Norway's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jon Westborg, travelled to an area of the island's north held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Tuesday to meet the chief LTTE negotiator Anton Balasi-ngham.

The clandestine Voice of Tigers radio said their talks were aimed at

preparing the ground for direct talks with the Sri Lankan government next month.

Rebel radio also said Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen would travel to the rebel-held Wanni region on April 17 for talks with Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Last week, Helgesen announced in Bangkok that Thailand had agreed to host the negotiations between the Tigers and the Sri Lankan government.

"Both parties to the conflict have agreed in holding the talks in

Thailand. The places and dates for commencement of the talks are yet to be decided by the parties and Norway," Helgesen said.

Meanwhile, the Scandinavian team monitoring a bilateral truce between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE announced that it was ready to accept complaints.

The monitors, known as the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and headed by retired Norwegian army general Trond Furuhovde, set up an office in Colombo and were in the process of opening offices in embattled regions.