DATE=2/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=LANKA - NORWAY (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259252
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Norway's Foreign Minister says he will try to
start direct peace talks between the Sri Lankan
government and the Tamil Tiger rebels. Vandana Chopra
reports from Colombo.
TEXT: The visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut
Vollebaek said both the Sri Lankan government and the
Tamil Tiger rebels had asked Norway to bring the two
sides together for talks.
In the past two years, Norwegian diplomats had been
shuttling between the two sides to look for prospects
for peace.
In a statement issued in Colombo, the Norwegian
Foreign Minister said the conflict in Sri Lanka can
only be resolved by political means and a basis for
dialogue must be established between the warring
parties.
On a one-day visit to Colombo, Minister Vollebaek met
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga for 4 hours
in a meeting that originally was scheduled to last
only one hour.
Sri Lankan government officials say Mr. Vollebaek
discussed the conditions for beginning direct talks
with the Tiger rebels.
Rebel guerillas are fighting for a separate homeland
for the minortiy Tamil
community in Sri Lanka's north and east.
The Norwegian peace initiative is the most serious
international peace
effort since India's failed intervention in the late
1980's, when it sent troops to disarm the rebels under
a peace accord with Sri Lanka.
Before coming to Sri Lanka, the Norwegian Foreign
Minister met Anton Balasingham, the London based
representative of the Tiger rebels.
Mr Vollebaek said he was encouraged by the rebel's
desire to seek a political solution. The Foreign
Minister added however that this will take time and
will be difficult and will require courage and
sacrifices in addition to the necessary political will
from both parties. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
17-Feb-2000 05:04 AM EDT (17-Feb-2000 1004 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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