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Norway, Japan intensify moves to revive peace talks

Japan and Norway have begun discussions at the highest level to revive the stalled peace bid in Sri Lanka, diplomatic sources said yesterday.

Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik arrived yesterday in Tokyo on a previously scheduled three-day visit for talks with his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi, a foreign ministry official in Tokyo said.

Bondevik is scheduled to meet Koizumi today, when the two are likely to discuss the Sri Lankan peace process in which both nations are taking a prominent interest, AFP reported.

Norway has been acting as the facilitator for the peace talks for a number of years and a round of talks between the government and the LTTE took place in its capital Oslo. A Sri Lanka donor conference was also held there.

Japan, Sri Lanka's biggest donor, has taken a hands-on approach to the Lankan peace process, appointing veteran diplomat Yasushi Akashi as a special envoy to Sri Lanka. Japan will also be hosting a two-day conference on June 9 and 10 to garner financial assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation in Sri Lanka.

The meeting of the two Prime Ministers comes the wake of intense diplomatic moves by the two countries to get the LTTE back to the negotiating table and to the Tokyo donor conference, which will be attended by more than 20 countries and several donor agencies. The LTTE said on April 21 that they would temporarily withdraw from the peace process.

Norway's Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and his deputy Vidar Helgesen were in Sri Lanka recently to meet government and LTTE leaders. They met LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in the Wanni.

Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim will meet LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamil Selvan today in Kilinochchi after his initial talks with government officials in Colombo within last two days.

He has already met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Government Chief Negotiator Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Minister Milinda Moragoda.

The talks between Solheim and the government negotiators centred around LTTE's fresh demand for an interim administration in the North-East.

Diplomatic sources told the Daily News that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing his response to the LTTE's concerns handed over to him through Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen.

"Solheim will hand over Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's response to the LTTE once the letter is completed," sources added.

Solheim after completing his mission in Sri Lanka is also due to meet LTTE chief negotiator and theoretician Dr. Anton Balasingham in London to brief him on the situation.

Japanese special envoy Akashi has visited Sri Lanka several times in the last few months. He also met Prabhakaran and urged him to reconsider their position on the peace talks and participation in the Tokyo parley.

The United States has also urged the LTTE to return to the negotiating table. Its Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will lead the US delegation to the Tokyo conference.

The Japanese and Norwegian Premiers are also likely to discuss the situation in post-war Iraq, peacekeeping and reconstruction of Afghanistan and the 100th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2005.

Bondevik is also expected to broach Norway's intention to sell whalemeat to Japan, officials said. He returns to Norway on Wednesday.

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