Vedlagt følger en uttalelse fra utenriksminister Vollebæk etter hans møter med Sri Lankas president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, utenriksminister Lakshman Kadirgamar og leder av opposisjonen, Ranil Wickremasinghe. Møtene fant sted i Colombo i dag.

Oslo, 16. februar 2000.

Statement by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Knut Vollebæk

Foreign Minister Knut Vollebæk of Norway during his visit to Sri Lanka met with the President, Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and the Leader of the opposition, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe.

A number of issues were discussed. The main issue, however, was the political situation in Sri Lanka.

"The conflict in Sri Lanka can only be solved by political means", Foreign Minister Vollebæk said. "A basis for a dialogue must be established between the parties."

"Upon a request from the President and following a wish from the LTTE, I have today informed the President that Norway is willing to accept the challenging task of trying to bring the parties together in such a dialogue. We have also discussed modalities for commencing direct talks", Foreign Minister Vollebæk said in a statement following his meeting with the President.

"This places a heavy responsibility on the parties themselves. I am encouraged by the expressed willingness to seek a political solution. However, this will take time. It will be difficult. It will require courage and sacrifices and it will require the necessary political will from the parties", said Vollebæk.

Norway’s bilateral assistance to Sri Lanka as well as a number of international issues were also discussed.

Foreign Minister Vollebæk expressed his hope that Sri Lanka will join the Convention on banning anti-personnel mines which have caused so much human suffering not least in this part of the world.

Colombo, 16 February 2000