Colombo, May 18: Diplomatic moves have so far failed to break the deadlock in Sri Lanka's stalled peace bid, but Norwegian envoys are keeping up the pressure to revive the process, officials said today. Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen was in Colombo today to meet with government peace negotiators and discuss the outcome of his talks yesterday with Tamil Tiger guerrillas, officials said.
"He will be discussing with government ministers today and if necessary return to the Wanni tomorrow," a diplomatic source here said. Wanni is a rebel-held area in the north. Government officials said there were no signs yet that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were backing down and returning to the negotiating table.
"It is too early to talk of a breakthrough," an official source here said. "Helgesen is involved in a process and it will continue and he has given an assurance that he will remain engaged with both parties."
Helgesen travelled in a military helicopter to the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi, 330 kms north of here, and held more than two hours of talks with the leader of the Tiger's political wing, S P Thamilselvan. Of the discussions were not immediately known, but rebel sources said they focussed on the key demands of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Helgesen stayed back in Sri Lanka after a similar mission on Thursday with his Foreign Minister Jan Petersen, failed to persuade the Tigers to abandon their talks boycott, announced on April 21. Bureau Report