Sri Lanka Peace Process:
Norway to Consolidate India's Support
Before Facilitating Next Round of Talks[Indian Express, December 08, 2005
]
 Hours
after Sri Lanka’s new President overturned an earlier statement and asked Norway
to resume its role as facilitator of peace talks between the government and
Tamil rebels, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg arrived in New Delhi to
consolidate
India’s support
before facilitating the initiation of the next round of talks. Stoltenberg met
PM Manmohan Singh on Thursday and will hold another meeting on Friday as well.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Stoltenberg, whose visit is
ostensibly to discuss energy, free trade and bilateral relations, said, ‘‘My
visit gives me the opportunity to have direct dialogue with the Indian
leadership on the Sri Lankan peace process. It is important that we agree on all
matters before we proceed, and more important for India and Norway to continue
their close dialogue as far as the peace process is concerned.’’
Norway has so far brokered six rounds of talks in Sri Lanka, culminating in a
2002 truce that it feels has now been violated. On Wednesday, President Mahinda
Rajapakse virtually withdrew a previous stand that Norway’s role as a
facilitator would be reviewed, and informed Norwegian Ambassador to Colombo Hans
Brattskar that Oslo could continue brokering peace between the government and
the LTTE.
Stung by Rajapakse’s initial statements—and still uncertain about the
apprehensions of the coalition government in Colombo—Stoltenberg said, ‘‘If they
don’t want us, we have other things to do. We are interested in facilitating
talks only if both parties are serious about reaching a resolution. If they’re
not willing, there is no role for Norway.’’ He said the main challenge now was
to get the peace process back on track. ‘‘The distance between the two parties
has become too big, and that’s why there have been differences.’’
Violence between government forces and rebels have resulted in 15 deaths in the
past one week alone, with the LTTE threatening to go back to a full-fledged
insurrection if the government did not respond to its demands.
URL:
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=83622
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