Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, Oct 30: The next Norwegian-backed Sri Lankan peace talks are likely to be held in Oslo instead of Thailand because the date clashes with a royal holiday here, sources said today.
The second round of negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels opens at this riverside resort near Bangkok tomorrow, but there are serious doubts over the session scheduled for December.
"The Thai authorities have indicated that they have some functions relating to the king's birthday and it would be difficult to host the talks on the dates previously agreed," said a diplomatic source at the talks.
The source said the negotiations were likely to shift to Norway, which will also host a meeting of aid donors on November 25 to seek their financial and political support for the fledgling peace bid.

The nation newspaper today quoted a senior foreign ministry official as saying Norway would host the third round of talks because the Thai hosts would be busy with several royal and national functions at that time.
The first round of discussions were held six weeks ago at a tightly-guarded Thai naval base at Sattahip, 180 kilometres southeast of the Thai capital Bangkok.
However, the second round shifted to this suburb of Bangkok because of its closer proximity to the capital and better facilities, sources said.
Norway spent more than five years trying to bring the Sri Lankan government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to the peace negotiating table. Bureau Report