Oslo, 23 May 2003

Dear Prime Minister,

I would like to thank you for your generous hospitality during my first visit to Sri Lanka last week. I greatly appreciated the opportunity for in-depth discussion with you and your Government and the chance to see your beautiful country. I was deeply saddened by the news of the terrible flood that struck the southern part of Sri Lanka during the past few days. Please accept my condolences and convey my heartfelt sympathy to the victims of the disaster and the families of the deceased.

I have the honour to convey to you a request made by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a letter addressed to State Secretary Vidar Helgesen by the chief negotiator of the LTTE, Mr. Balasingham, on 21 May. In the letter, Mr Balasingham asks Norway as facilitator of the peace process to urge you, on behalf of the LTTE, to respond officially to the proposal by the LTTE leader, Mr. Pirapaharan, to establish a new innovative structure for the reconstruction and development of the north and east. Please find a copy of the letter enclosed.

I am pleased to place State Secretary Helgesen and his team at your disposal as facilitators. They stand ready to convey a response to the LTTE and to facilitate communication between your government and the LTTE in seeking a solution that can be acceptable to both parties as well as, importantly, to the donor community.

Yours sincerely,

Jan Petersen
Minister of Foreign Affairs

H.E. Ranil Wickremesinghe
Prime Minister
Colombo