A Norwegian Delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen will visit Sri Lanka 20-24 October. Mr. Helgesen will travel to Hambantota on Sunday 20 October to meet Hon. Members of Parliament from the district and local authorities. He will also have a meeting with Hambantota Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of the visit to Hambantota is to get a broader understanding of the economic situation in the area and the challenges the people in this part of the country area are facing.

Norwegian Development Co-Operation with Sri Lanka has traditionally focussed on the situation in the Southern part of the country, notably in Hambantota and Moneragela district. Norway has for the last twenty years been assisting the Government of Sri Lanka to improve economic development in this area. Mr. Helgesen will during his visit in Hambantota visit some of the project funded by the Norwegian Government. In addition Mr. Helgesen will acquaint himself with the drought situation in the area and will visit the Lunugamvehera Irrigation Scheme.

Mr. Helgesen has previously been to several other parts the country. During his visit to Sri Lanka this time he will however be travelling to both Hambantota in the south and Jaffna in the north for the first time. He hopes this will give him an increased understanding of people's daily life and the economic situation in both the southern and the northern part of Sri Lanka.

On Monday 21 October the Delegation headed by Mr. Helgesen will have meetings with the Prime Minister, members of the Government’s peace delegation, the Leader of the Opposition and representatives from the civil society and the business community. Mr. Helgesen will also meet with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).

The Norwegian Delegation will visit Jaffna and the Vanni Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 October. In Jaffna the Delegation will i.a. meet with the Government Agent, the Mayor and representatives from the civil society. Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning Mr. Helgesen will have discussions with the leadership of LTTE in Vanni before he returns to Colombo.

In Colombo on Wednesday the Delegation will again be meeting representatives from the Government’s peace delegation. Mr. Helgesen will also be meeting H.E President Chandrika Bandanaraike Kumaratunga together with Hon. Member of Parliament Mr. Kadirgamar.

The discussions with the Government and the LTTE will mainly focus on the establishment of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the preparation for the next round of talks in Thailand. Also ongoing problems related to the ceasefire agreement hereunder the tension on the East Coast, will be subject to discussions.

The Norwegian Delegation will in addition to Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, consist of Ambassador Jon Westborg and Second Secretary Tomas Stangeland from the Norwegian Embassy and Special Advisor Erik Solheim, Hans Brattskar and Advisor Lisa Golden from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.