Move on to save Lankan peace

Envoy Erik Solheim is due here in eight days to try and get talks back on track after both Colombo and Tiger rebels insisted they were sticking to their guns on pre-conditions for resuming dialogue, diplomats said.

"The visit is almost considered a routine monthly touch-base sort of exercise, but this time it assumes more importance given the deterioration of the overall situation," a Western diplomatic source said.

Prospects for ending the three-decades of Tamil separatist conflict dimmed further last week after the government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga rejected Tiger demands for reopening the stalled talks.

Retired air force chief Harry Gunatillake said Solheim's visit would help keep up appearances, but the entire process was in trouble.

"It is important for the Norw-egians to remain engaged, but they know the difficulties," Gunatillake said. "Unless the government sorts out its own internal problems, the talks will not start."

Press reports here said thm government's main Marxist coalition partner, the JVP, or Peoxle's Liberation Front, had written to the Norwegians saying the government lacked confidence in Oslo as a peace broker.

The JVP, which opposes any concessions to Tigers, has been critical of Norway's efforts and also dubbed the Oslo-arranged ceasefire which has been in place since February 2002 as a violation of the island's sovereignty.

Tension soared in the island's embattled northern and eastern regions after last week's commemorations by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of their war dead, adding to the concerns for the fragile truce.