(Adds minister, official, rebel, quotes) By Ranga Sirilal and Kamil Zaheer COLOMBO, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels threatened on Friday to scupper future peace negotiations if the government does not agree to open the main highway to the country's restive north at talks in Geneva this weekend. The closure of the A-9 highway to the Tamil-dominated Jaffna peninsula by the government in August after a surge in fighting between the rebels and government forces has led to hardship among many minority Tamils living in the area. "The opening of the A-9 is the main thing under the humanitarian issue," rebel media coordinator Daya Master told Reuters by phone from Tiger-held Kilinochchi in the north. "If they reject or don't open the A-9, (there is) no chance to continue the talks." But a government official said the highway issue was not yet fixed as part of the talks. "We can't discuss everything in two days," the official, who asked not to be quoted by name, told Reuters. Separately, defence spokesman and minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the attempt to link the highway issue with future talks was a "bargaining ploy". "They are trying to show this as a humanitarian issue and blame it on the army," Rambukwella told Reuters, adding some parts of the highway come under rebel mortar and artillery fire. "We can't risk innocent people." He also denied a pro-rebel Web site report that the army had launched a fresh offensive in Eastern Province. In Geneva, government negotiator Palitha Kohona said Colombo wanted to discuss bringing in democracy and holding elections in the north and east as well as development in the region. He also said the talks should focus on child rebel soldiers. "We want to focus on child soldiers, who are sent to fight in mosquito-infested jungles, so they can instead dream of a better future," Kohona told Reuters from Geneva. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) spokesman was not upbeat about the Geneva talks. "WAIT AND SEE" "Our side says we are going to discuss the humanitarian issues. The government says the political issues. So far no agenda ... Let's wait and see," Master said. The government says it was forced to shut the highway and supplies the Jaffna region regularly by ship or aircraft. Local residents, Tamil political groups and civil society organisations complain of widespread food and fuel shortages. About 1,000 people, many of them civilians, have died in a surge in fighting since July. It is the worst violence since a 2002 truce and many thousands of people have been displaced. In sporadic attacks since Thursday, two soldiers were wounded in a claymore mine blast in the northern Vavuniya area. More than 65,000 people have been killed since 1983 in the ethnic conflict. The LTTE on Friday accused the army of continuing to shell Tamil areas near the frontlines this week, despite the talks. "One would expect the civilians already harassed endlessly by the SLA (Sri Lankan Army) to be left alone with their struggle for survival. Reality, ignored by everyone, is very different," the Tigers Peace Secretariat Web site (www.ltteps.org) said. The LTTE is fighting for an independent homeland for Tamils, many of whom complain of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese political class and government. Rambukwella said Colombo was keen to address Tamil issues and bring in more Tamils into the country's political system. "We are concerned about the Tamil population and we have a duty to look into their genuine issues."
