Norwegian peace envoy arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 October 2006, 17:43 GMT]
Norwegian special peace envoy Mr. Jon Hanssen Bauer arrived in Colombo accompanied by Norwegian foreign ministry officials Sunday afternoon by Sri Lankan Airlines flight, sources in Colombo said.

Mr.Jon Hanssen Bauer is to hold talks with the leaders of the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the coming days in Colombo and Killinochchi, sources said.

He will fly to Killinochchi after having talks with GOSL leaders and Sri Lanka's Peace Secretariat officials first, sources said.

Sri Lankan government had announced earlier that it was prepared for talks as the Liberation Tigers’ leader, Vellupillai Pirapaharan, had given the Government assurances demanded by President Mahinda Rajapakse.

The LTTE did not comment on the government claim, but rising expectations were echoed by Mr. Bauer.