COLOMBO, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Sri Lankans are more concerned about their sluggish economy than the country’s 18-year ethnic war, but overwhelmingly support talks to end the fighting, an opinion poll published on Monday showed.

The Canadian-funded survey, released in the thick of heated campaigning for parliamentary elections on December 5, found 45 percent of the respondents put the economy above peace on the country’s list of priorities.

Only 39 percent thought the war was a bigger concern than the economy, which is growing at its slowest pace in 30 years.

"For Sri Lankans the important issue of the day is the cost of living," research group Social Indicator said of its poll of 1200 adults in September.

The poll showed, however, that 77 percent of all Sri Lankans approved of peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) battling for a separate minority Tamil state in Sri Lanka’s north and east.

"The study clearly indicates that there is overall approval amongst all the people of Sri Lanka of the government and the LTTE engaging in talks," said Social Indicator,

The fighting has claimed more than 64,000 lives since 1983, while a Norwegian-brokered peace bid languishes in the shadow of political turmoil.

The Sinhalese majority, about 75 percent of the population, and the eight percent Muslim minority were preoccupied by the economy.

But Tamils, who make up 18 percent of population, were more concerned about the war even though the survey did not cover rebel-held areas in the north and east which are home to Tamils who suffer most from the conflict.

Social Indicator did not say whether there was an error margin for the poll, which was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.