The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to inform that Major General Lars Johan Sølvberg has been appointed as Acting Head of Mission for Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).

Following consultations with the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Norway has decided to appoint Major General Lars Johan Sølvberg as Acting Head of the Nordic monitoring mission SLMM.

“Major General Sølvberg’s wide experience and impressive military background will be important assets in his new position as Acting Head of Mission. In spite of the reduction in the number of SLMM personnel, both parties to the conflict have expressed their strong wish for continued SLMM presence. The appointment of Major General Sølvberg is of great importance in the difficult situation we are currently facing,” said Minister of International Development Erik Solheim.

Major General Sølvberg will take up his position as Acting Head of Mission on 1 September 2006.

Press contact: Head of Information Roy Freddy Andersen, mobile phone +47 90 61 05 30.