Norway's new envoy launches Lanka peace mission

Jon Hanssen-Bauer, on his first visit to the island, went straight into meetings with experts from think-tanks and development organisations after his arrival, Norwegian embassy spokesman Tom Knappskog said.

During a four-day initial visit the envoy is scheduled to travel to the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi to discuss the outline of negotiations later this month between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Switzerland.