Colombo, Sri Lanka ? The Sri Lankan government said Thursday it was willing to attend talks with Tamil Tiger rebels at the end of the month, while a bombing blamed on rebels killed a soldier, and the air force raided areas in the north and east.

“We have agreed to the resumption of talks on Oct. 28 and 29 in Switzerland,” Nimal Siripala de Silva, a top government negotiator and minister, said after a meeting with Norway’s peace envoy, Jon Hanssen-Bauer.

On Tuesday, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels agreed to unconditional talks with the government, but warned they would pull out of a 2002 cease-fire if the government persists with its military campaign.

However, the government also cautioned it would counter any offensives by the insurgents.

The government will engage in talks, Silva said, “preserving its right to adopt appropriate countermeasures” should the rebels undertake any offensive or provocative actions.

He emphasized that the rebels must immediately cease all acts of violence.