London (ANTARA News/AFP) - Britain`s Foreign Office on Monday urged Sri Lanka to release the findings of a government probe into the civil war against Tamil rebels.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which has been widely criticised as biased by international rights groups, handed over a 400-page report to President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday.

The LLRC, appointed in May last year, was not mandated to probe war crimes but asked to find out why a Norwegian-brokered 2002 truce failed and to recommend ways to prevent the island slipping back to ethnic conflict.

"Many hope this report will mark a significant milestone in Sri Lanka`s recovery from conflict," Alistair Burt, the Foreign Office minister with responsibility for Sri Lankan affairs, said in a statement.

"I call on the government of Sri Lanka to seize this important opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to national reconciliation and accountability.

"Making the report public at the earliest opportunity is a vital part of this commitment and I look forward to the government of Sri Lanka setting out the steps it will take in response to the report."

Sri Lanka gained its independence from Britain in 1948. (M014)

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono

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