Norway rules out early talks on Lankan truce

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they were prepared for urgent talks on the ceasefire, which has been in force since 2002 but came under severe strain after the foreign minister was assassinated in August.

"The LTTE is even prepared to start talks on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in a location neutral and satisfactory to both the parties without waiting for the outcome of the presidential polls," the LTTE said.

In a statement posted on their website, the group said they told Norway's ambassador to Sri Lanka Hans Brattskar on Thursday that they need not await the outcome of the November 17 presidential election to start talks.

However, the Norwegian embassy issued a statement Friday saying such a meeting was unlikely in the "near future" and Oslo was sending another envoy to hold talks separately with the two sides next week.

Retired army general Trond Furuhovde was to arrive in Colombo on Monday on an eight-day visit to hold the talks, the embassy said.

"As a meeting between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement is not likely to occur in the near future, the visit is an opportunity for both parties to propose measures for strengthening the implementation of the agreement," the statement said.

Furuhovde was to consult with representatives of both the government and the LTTE seeking their views on the status of the security situation.

Ambassador Brattskar met with Tiger leaders Thursday ahead of a review of Oslo's peace initiative.

He travelled to the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi for talks with Tamil Tiger political wing chief S. P. Thamilselvan.

"The ambassador wanted to touch base with the LTTE before he goes to Oslo next week for a review of the peace process by the new (Norwegian government) team involved in Sri Lanka," Norwegian embassy spokeswoman Kjersti Tromsdal said.

Top peace broker Erik Solheim told AFP last month after he was elected as part of Oslo's new government that he would remain engaged in Sri Lanka.

"After the new government is formed ... it will formally contact the (Colombo) government and the Tamil Tigers offering to continue its services in whatever manner the parties want," Solheim said after his election.