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Norway in hectic moves to salvage peace bid

COLOMBO, Monday (AFP) A Norwegian peace envoy was locked in talks with Sri Lankan leaders Monday in a bid to salvage the island's stalled peace process, official sources and diplomats said.

Erik Solheim, Norway's special envoy, met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the government's chief peace negotiator G. L. Peiris, on yesterday, sources said.

"The Norwegians are working overtime to help narrow the differences between the government and the Tiger rebels," a diplomatic source said. "It is too early to talk about a breakthrough, but the process is on." Diplomats said Solheim was also expected to meet members of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leadership in the island's north before returning home, and would seek to discuss issues with the LTTE's London-based chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham.

The Tigers have made fresh demands for an interim administrative council for the northeast regions in exchange for ending their boycott of talks announced on April 21 and attending a key aid meeting Japan is hosting on June 9 and 10.

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