The Hindu : National : Solheim: the need now is to build confidence, not undermine it

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Saturday, Apr 08, 2006

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National

Solheim: the need now is to build confidence, not undermine it

Special Correspondent

Norwegian envoys brief Saran on Sri Lankan peace process

NEW DELHI: In a meeting that the Ministry of External Affairs described as part of the "ongoing exchange of views" between India and Norway on the Sri Lankan peace process, senior Norwegian envoys briefed Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran on the latest developments in the run-up to the crucial second round of talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers to be held in Geneva later this month.

`Maintain ceasefire'

Erik Solheim, who served as Oslo's special envoy for the Sri Lankan peace process until his recent elevation as Norway's Minister for International Development, and Jon Hanssen-Bauer, his successor, met Mr. Saran here on Friday. According to an External Affairs Ministry spokesman, the two sides endorsed the need for maintenance of the ceasefire, and for a complete cessation of violence so that the climate for dialogue is further strengthened.

India's position

He added that the Foreign Secretary also reiterated India's position that any solution must safeguard "the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka."

Meeting reporters later in the day, Mr. Solheim and Mr. Hanssen-Bauer stressed the need for both the Sri Lankan authorities and the Tamil Tigers to adhere to the ceasefire and the commitments they had made during the last peace parleys in Geneva. Mr. Solheim said there was no way to hide the fact that the situation in Sri Lanka was "difficult."

Incidents of violence

There had been incidents of violence, he noted, the most recent of which was the killing in Trincomalee on Friday of Vanniasingham Vigneswaran, leader of a pro-LTTE civil society group called the District Tamil People's Forum. Asked whether the latest killing would disrupt the peace process, Mr. Solheim said that while it is "impossible to make a prophecy based on each and every incident, the need now is to build confidence and not to undermine it."

`Look into the mirror'

He said that both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan authorities "should look into the mirror and ask what they can do to build confidence."

Mandate for peace

On the "positive side", said Mr. Solheim, were the local election results "which have given President Rajapakse the mandate to take the peace process forward".

Asked about India's emphasis on building a "southern consensus" in favour of peace, he said he supported all Indian moves to bring the Sinhala political forces together in support of dialogue.

Stating that he was himself a leftist, Mr. Solheim said he was ready to meet the JVP whenever that party was willing to do so. But he said the accusations against Mr. Hanssen-Bauer of having been involved in plans to "partition" or divide Sudan or Palestine were simply untrue.

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