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Truce still valid: Norway

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Wednesday said there was still hope that the warring sides in Sri Lanka would pull back from all-out conflict and renew their efforts to find peace.

Speaking at the South Asian Free Media Association, Mr Gahr Store said that to say the 2002 ceasefire does not exist today despite the "grim" situation on the ground, would be "irresponsible".

"What exists on paper is not useless. It is something that we can come back to. We believe it has value, and both sides tell us it has value," the Minister said. Norway would "stay the course" in Sri Lanka as long as the two parties — the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, wanted it to continue its role as facilitator, Mr Gahr Store said. "We revisit the purpose of our role in Sri Lanka very frequently. Those evaluations have led us to conclude that as both parties have asked us to stay and if there is the slightest chance of progress, we should stretch ourselves in making an effort to achieve that progress".

Allegations

He said Norway's decision to "seize" opportunities for conflict resolution, international development and poverty alleviation were based on the conviction that it could make a difference.

"There is no second agenda. We have no history in Sri Lanka and that's why we went there."

Referring to allegations against Norway in the Sri Lankan press, he said his Government's repeated message to the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE was that "this is your process, upsides and downsides. Don't blame us for your failures."

The Minister, who visits India next, said he applauded the leaders of both India and Pakistan for stating that war is not an option to resolve the differences between the two countries.

Earlier, asked at a joint press conference with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri if Norway would play a role in conflict resolution between India and Pakistan, Mr Gahr Store said "it is no secret" that Norway had at one time wished to play the role of third party mediator. But, he said, India was "reluctant" about allowing third parties and that Norway respected this sentiment.

Mr Gahr Store said Norway follows the progress of the India-Pakistan peace process closely as it was an important issue with implications for global security.

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