Colombo, Feb 22: The newly appointed head of an international mission monitoring a ceasefire in Sri Lanka arrived in the island today, an official said. Tryggve Tellefsen, a retired army major general, succeeds another Norwegian, Trond Furuhovde, as the head of Sri Lanka monitoring mission.

Furuhovde led the mission since a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire was signed by the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels on February 2, 2002, to end hostilities in the 19-year civil war.

Tellefsen will study the situation in Sri Lanka before assuming his duties on March 7, said Hagrup Haukland, deputy head of the monitors.
As part of a familiarisation process Tellefsen will meet government negotiators and travel to war-ravaged north next Wednesday and meet officials of the LTTE, he said.

The Norwegian foreign ministry announced that Tellefsen's appointment last month and said that Furuhovde will continue to work as an adviser to the Norwegian government on Sri Lanka's peace process.
During his career in the royal Norwegian army, Tellefsen commanded a multinational peacekeeping and observer force monitoring Egypt and Israel from 1997-2001; commanded UN peacekeeping forces in Macedonia in 1994-1995; and was responsible for recruiting and training Norwegian peacekeepers from 1989-1994.

Haukland said that 13 members of the 46-member monitoring mission will be replaced before mid March.

Bureau Report