Solheim visit sparks speculation

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, FEB. 1. The return of the Norwegian envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, to Sri Lanka three weeks after his last visit here, has generated fresh speculation about the imminence of peace talks between the Government and the LTTE.

Mr. Solheim, who arrived in Colombo on Wednesday, met the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, the same evening. Details of the meeting were not available. He met the leader of the Opposition, Mr. Ranil Wickremsinghe, this morning. They were said to have discussed a ``memorandum of understanding'', drawn up by the Norwegians for the Government and the LTTE, aimed at creating conditions for negotiations.

Asked about the results of his shuttle diplomacy, the Norwegian envoy said there was some progress, but declined to give details. Though there is no clear picture yet about the Oslo-brokered peace process, it seems certain that the two sides are moving towards negotiations despite the hesitancy on the part of the Government to engage with the LTTE.

Sri Lanka has made no bones about this hesitancy or its plans to prepare for war and carry out both military and diplomatic offensives against the LTTE, even as the peace process continues.

The Government today launched a month-long programme to felicitate soldiers, to raise the morale of those at the front, and to attract more army recruits. The theme of the programme is ``Obstacles are Temporary, Victory is at Hand''. A drive to recruit at least 10,000 soldiers was launched in southern Sri Lanka earlier this week.

In the last few weeks, Sri Lanka raised the pitch of its diplomatic lobbying to have the LTTE banned in the U.K. under a new anti-terrorism legislation which is to come into effect later this month.

Mr. Solheim, who met the LTTE representative in London, Mr. Anton Balasingham, is expected to stay on over the weekend. But he is not expected to travel to the LTTE-controlled north. He also met the Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Gopalkrishna Gandhi, today.

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Section  : International
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