Peace in Sri Lanka

The Norwegian facilitators led by Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, Ambassador Hans Brattskar and Norwegian Foreign Ministry officials met the LTTE leader V Pirapaharan on Thursday 15 May in Kilinochchi.

At the meeting, the LTTE indicated the need to establish a formal mechanism which incorporates administrative and financial structures that would facilitate the efficient implementation of rehabilitation and development activity in the North and East. The LTTE was of the opinion that the Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East (SIHRN), which was mooted during the second session of peace talks, was inadequate in this regard.

On their return to Colombo, the Norwegian delegation briefed the Prime Minister on matters raised by the LTTE. In response, the Prime Minister pointed out that the government had agreed in principle to review the current mandate of SIHRN and its possible expansion. This was indicated to the LTTE at the sixth session of peace talks in Hakone, Japan. However, the Government stated that an expanded mandate should not be viewed as an end in itself. Rather, it must have a link to the political road map or plan that would sequence the manner in which substantive issues are addressed.

The Prime Minister stated that the political road map was to be tabled for discussion at the next session of peace talks, which has been temporarily suspended. The expanded mandate of SIHRN needs to be linked as a phased approach to the progress achieved on the political path. Furthermore, it was pointed out that many of the donors required a mechanism of indicators which demonstrated progress in the peace process.

In an effort to address the issues raised by the LTTE and the responses by the Government, the Norwegian delegation discussed the merits of formulating a conceptual negotiating approach for the future of the peace process. The approach would attempt to establish a nexus between the oversight of development activity, normalization measures and progress on substantive political issues. The conceptual negotiating approach discussed with the Government was submitted to the LTTE by Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen on Saturday 17 May. The LTTE stated that it required time to discuss the matter with the leadership.