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by Ranil Wijayapala

A group of Norwegian officials are due to visit the Wanni in the middle of this week to meet the LTTE leadership to discuss the resumption of peace talks.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's detailed response to the LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham's letter is also due within this week.

The newly appointed Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Hans Brattskar is due to visit the Wanni mid-week to convince the LTTE of the need to resume peace talks soon, diplomatic sources added.

This will be the first meeting between the Norwegian facilitators and the LTTE hierarchy since their temporary withdrawal from the peace talks last week.

In the absence of Balasingham, the newly appointed Norwegian Ambassador will meet LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan, the sources said.

The discussion between the Norwegians and the LTTE is also expected to focus on the postponement of the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitarian Need (SIHRN) meeting by the LTTE. They are expected to outline the repercussions postponing the SIHRN meeting at this crucial juncture.

However, Balasingham reacting to US Ambassador in Colombo Ashley Wills' widely-publicised comments on the peace process reiterated their commitment towards a negotiated settlement saying they have not terminated the negotiating process or walked away from the talks.

"What we have decided is to temporarily suspe

Government sources told the Daily News yesterday that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing his detailed response to the LTTE and is due to send it to the LTTE within the first few days of the week. The premier has discussed with key negotiators of the Government when preparing this letter to the LTTE, sources added.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Hagrup Haukland told the Daily News yesterday that discussions on measures to prevent sea clashes are going on despite the LTTE's temporary withdrawal from the peace talks.

The SLMM handed over their revised proposals based on the reactions from the Government and the LTTE last Thursday to both parties.

"The SLMM expects feedback on these proposals by April 30 the latest and a meeting between two parties will be held on May 7," Haukland added.

nd the talks to provide the government to implement crucial decisions, particularly the normalisation aspects of the Ceasefire Agreement," Balasingham said in an interview with TamilNet.

"Our decision to temporarily suspend negotiations giving time for the government to act is a fair and rational form of protest", he said.

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