Solheim back, likely to meet LTTE chief

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, MAY 15. The Norwegian special envoy, Mr. Erik Solheim, who arrived here today, is to travel to northern Sri Lanka where he may meet the LTTE leader, Mr. Velupillai Prabhakaran, for discussions on the ongoing peace process.

Mr. Solheim was to meet the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, later today, before his departure for LTTE-held northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

A Norwegian Embassy spokesman said that he did not know if Mr. Solheim would meet the LTTE leader during his visit to northern Sri Lanka.

It is believed that Mr. Solheim's scheduled trip to northern Sri Lanka follows a breakthrough in the process to bring the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE for talks.

After a disastrous military operation last month resulting in the loss of several hundred lives, Oslo has been trying to broker a bilateral cease-fire to facilitate talks.

The indications so far are that the Government, in contrast to its earlier stand, is not averse to a cessation of hostilities before the commencement of talks. In fact, an informal de- escalation in the conflict can already be said to have begun.

The Norwegian delegation to the Vanni will include, besides Mr. Solheim, the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Jon Westborg, and an official of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry from Oslo.

This is the first time Mr. Solheim will travel to LTTE-held Vanni after his pathbreaking visit last November, when he made history as the first outsider to meet the reclusive LTTE leader in several years. The meeting marked the acceleration of the process for talks that was initiated by Norway nearly two years ago.

Earlier today, Mr. Solheim met the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Mr. Rauff Hakeem, and the secretary- general of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Mr. R. Sampanthan.

It has been the SLMC's demand that if and when talks are held with the LTTE, it should be included as a party to the negotiations.

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Section  : International
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