Solheim arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 03:11 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim arrived in Colombo Monday night on a five-day visit. He is scheduled to meet Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse Tuesday before leaving to Kilinochchi Wednesday to meet the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), political sources said.

Mr.Solheim expects to prepare the groundwork for resuming the stalled peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

Mr.Solheim was in Sri Lanka two weeks' ago and hel discussions with the leaders of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), LTTE, main opposition United National Party, Tamil National Alliance and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress on the resumption of peace talks at the invitation of Ms.Kumaratunge, sources said.

Mr.Solheim before coming to Colombo is reported to have held telephone discussions with LTTE theoretician and political strategist Mr.Anton Balasingham who is in London, political sources said.