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Envoys discuss peace with Tigers

Norwegian peace envoys met Sri Lanka's reclusive rebel leader yesterday to discuss a power struggle between the nation's president and prime minister that has threatened to derail the peace process.

Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and special envoy Erik Solheim met with Vellupillai Prabhakaran behind closed doors in this northern rebel capital, as Tiger guerrillas kept guard.

Prabhakaran founded and leads the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam, the separatist group embroiled in a 19-year civil war to establish a homeland in the northeast for the country's 3.2 million Tamils.

The Norwegians, who have played a crucial role in efforts to end Sri Lanka's bloody 19-year civil war, met with President Chandrika Kumaratunga in Colombo on Wednesday. They traveled to Kilinochchi earlier Thursday aboard a Sri Lankan air force helicopter.

Kumaratunga last week wrested control of the ministries of defense, interior and media from her rival Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, claiming he has made too many concessions to the Tamil rebels.

The president also suspended Parliament and briefly declared emergency rule, triggering fear that this tropical island would be plunged back into war.

In Colombo, chief government spokesman G.L. Peiris said the prime minister, who initiated the peace process after winning elections in December 2001, believes his administration cannot carry forward the peace process with "truncated responsibility," a reference to Kumaratunga retaining the crucial defense portfolio.

"This is not just possible, and the Norwegians also agree with us," he said.

There was no immediate comment from Kumaratunga's office. However, the president has said she wants Wickremesinghe to continue to lead the peace process, although without control of the defense portfolio.

A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in February last year halted fighting between government and Tamil Tiger rebel forces that has killed 65,000 people since 1983.

The truce led to six rounds of peace talks between the government and rebels. But the rebels walked out of the talks in April, demanding broader administrative powers in Tamil-majority areas of the island.

Kilinochchi, where Thursday's meetings were being held, is about 275km north of Colombo.
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