Norway apprises India of Lankan peace process

New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) Against the backdrop of the rapidly deteriorating security situation and continued deadlock in resuming peace talks between Colombo and the LTTE, Norwegian Minister for International Development Eric Solheim today said the situation was ''very grave with war clouds looming''.

Mr Solheim, who met National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and other officials in the External Affairs Ministry, told reporters that ''it is very difficult to carry forward the peace talks with both the government and the LTTE refusing to implement what they had agreed upon during the last Geneva talks''.

Mr Solheim, who arrived here from Colombo after meeting President Mahinda Rajapakse, is on his way to Tokyo to attend donors coference, beginning Tuesday. Japan, the Europen Union, Norway and the United States are co-chairers of the conference.

He said it was important that he LTTE should stop killing people by claymore mines. Equally, the governmnt should ensure that no Tamil paramilitary forces operate in the government-controlled areas, he added.

Asked whether India will attend the conference, he said it had sent its observer during the Oslo and Brazil conferences. ''I do not know whether India will send its represenative as an observer this time,'' he said.

On whether India could play a ''pro-active role'' in the Sri Lankan affairs, Mr Solhem said, ''I am nobody to give any public advice. India understands the situation much more than Norway.'' Mr Solheim, who has been making efforts to bring both the warring groups to the negotiating table, said, ''Unless both the LTTE and the government will take a step towards the peace process, it is very difficult to carry the process forward.'' ''There is no military solution to the problem. Both the parties have to come back to the table. We (Norway) are always available.'' Mr Solheim said unless both sides take a step backward to the peace process, it is very difficult for him to say when the peace talks will resume.

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