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Norwegian envoy tries to break deadlock

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO JUNE 18. Norway's envoy to Colombo, Hans Brattskar, today met the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S.P. Tamilchelvan, and discussed a range of issues relating to the latest peace process in the rebel-held Kilinochchi.

The visit, a few days after Colombo sounded out a set of "temporary measures'' to break the deadlock in the island's latest peace process, in diplomatic circles as "positive'', reportedly touched upon several matters connected to the latest stalemate in the peace process and the recent incidents in Jaffna and the eastern seas.

The 15-month peace process has been stalled since April 21, after the Tigers unilaterally pulled out of negotiations and demanded a ``politico-administrative'' interim administrative structure, as proposed by its leadership.

The recent sinking of an LTTE merchant vessel, which the Sri Lankan Government said was carrying "war-link material'', and Saturday's assassination of an anti-LTTE leader, Subathiran, in Government-held Jaffna were among the issues that reportedly figured in the meeting.

Colombo and the Tigers seriously differ on the circumstances leading to the sinking of the vessel. While Colombo says that the ship was sunk when it was on the island's EEZ, the Tigers claim that it was hit on international waters. The LTTE has so far neither claimed nor denied responsibility for the assassination of Subathiran.

Today's visit by the Norwegian envoy to Kilinochchi, is also just ahead of a scheduled meeting between the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the British premier, Tony Blair, later this week in London.

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