Saran to attend Oslo Forum

New Delhi, June 22 (UNI) Former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy on the India-US nuclear deal, will attend the Oslo Forum on conflict mediation from June 26 to 29 in Norway.

Among the 63 other eminent conflict mediators and peace process actors who will share their experiences will be Dr Baburam Bhattarai of the Communist Party of Nepal, Dr Desra Pereaya, chief of staff to the Indonesian Foreign Minister, and Dr Surin Pitsuwam, former Foreign Minister of Thailand, a press release said here today.

The Forum, an annual even now in its fifth year, brings conflict mediators behind close doors for a frank exchange of opinions and practical problem solving in an informal setting.

The aim is to improve the practice of conflict mediation and build a network of conflict mediators from different backgrounds.

The agenda will include sessions on the potential for dialogue in Iran and Afghanistan, the transformation through mediation of armed troops into mainstream politics in Northern Ireland and Nepal, and the future of mediation in Somalia.

Other sessions will be dedicated to mediation techniques such as the use of psychology and public opinion polling, and working with the media in the interests of peace processes.

The Forum is co-hosted by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.

UNI