Norway fails to clinch tsunami relief deal with Tigers

Peace broker Norway Tuesday failed to get Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels to agree on a coordinated tsunami relief plan with the government seen as crucial for reviving stalled peace talks, officials said.







Peace broker Norway Tuesday failed to get Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels to agree on a coordinated tsunami relief plan with the government seen as crucial for reviving stalled peace talks, officials said. Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim met the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the guerrilla-held northern Wanni region to discuss a formula for sharing tsunami relief aid between the two sides and restart peace talks stalled since April 2003, officials close to the talks said.

"There has been no breakthrough, but the process of consultations will continue," officials said.

They said Solheim would also meet with Sri Lankan officials this week.

"We had long discussions with the LTTE leaders today and various proposals were considered over tsunami aid distribution," Solheim, known to be circumspect about the peace talks, said after the meeting.

"I cannot make any predictions as to when a mechanism can be finalised.

"I will discuss the proposals with the government," Solheim told AFP after return