Norway willing to continue to facilitate SL peace process

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Norway today said it was ready to continue the role of a facilitator between Colombo and the LTTE but it was up to the two warring parties to solve the decades-old ethnic problem in the island nation.

Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon, currently in India on an official visit, told reporters that his country is playing the role of a facilitator in many countries including Sri Lanka.

Mr Raymond Johansen, Vice Foreign Minister of Norway, said his government had taken some new initiatives which were ''quite successful,'' for peace in the island nation.

''A meeting was recently held in Geneva which was quite successful...It is now upto the two Parties (involved in the conflict) to have a solution. We are quite hopeful and will continue to contribute (to the peace process),'' he added.

He, however, said Norway would see the development on the ground before deciding what to do next.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are on a week-long visit to India to seek investment and discuss with the Indian government ways to boost cooperation in energy sector, maritime, shipping and trade and investment.

Prince Haakon said that during his past three days of the visit, they had visited Agra and Mumbai and held discussions with Inddian businessmen.

He said he had also discussed possibilities of cooperation beyween India and Norway in various sectors, including petroleum, oil and gas, tourism and maritime.

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