Colombo(PTI): Maintaining that a pause in the military operation against LTTE is `unnecessary`, Sri Lanka has assured Britain that the political process to resolve the ethnic problem in the island nation will be commenced `once terrorism has been eliminated`.

During a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday, Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the massive exodus of Tamil civilians from the LTTE-held areas has led to a `completely new situation` in the embattled north.

`The request by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for a pause in military action was deemed as unnecessary by President Mahinda Rajapaksa considering the unexpected exodus of 35,000 civilians to the cleared areas from the No-Fire Zone (NFZ),` an official statement said here.

With regard to the political process, Mr. Rajapaksa said that once `terrorism has been eliminated, political proposals in terms of the Sri Lankan agenda, which are at present being formulated, will be presented.`

Steps had already been taken to implement the 13th amendment to the Constitution which envisages devolution of power to the provinces, he said.

He hoped that the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance, which had hitherto rejected his invitation to participate in political consultations, would do so in near future.