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As the international community called for a peaceful settlement for the ongoing conflict, Norway, the facilitating country for the proposed talks, announced that top level delegation consisting three members will visit Colombo next week for discussions. The new Norwegian Foreign Minister, Raymond Johansen, will head the delegation, arriving on Monday. Special Envoy, Evik Solheim and executive officer, Kjersti Tromsdal, will accompany him. With the aim to have wide ranging talks, the delegation will meet President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunge, Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe and Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar. These discussions will cover the present war situation and the possibility of initiating talks with the LTTE and the role of other countries like India could play in such talks. The Norwegian Embassy sources said that the delegation would also meet other members of the government as well as representatives of civil society during their three-day stay. “It is clear the situation in Jaffna is acute, but we can not let our work depend on day-to-day developments in war or politics. We have long term perspective,” said Erik Solheim, who is co-ordinating Norway’s bid as facilitator. The Norwegian initiative has welcomed by the European Union, United Nation, United States and Japan. Japan Foreign Ministry said in an official statement “the Government of Japan eagerly hopes that that the two parties through Norway’s facilitation will, surmount the present crisis to take a definite step towards a peaceful solution". Us Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering also expected to visit the island in connection with the process. Meanwhile, the German Foreign Minister Joscher Fischer, who ended two-day visit to India, was quoted by agency reports as saying that Germany “hoped India could play the role of peace maker”.
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