January 23, 2006	Monday	Zilhaj 22, 1426

COLOMBO, Jan 22: Norwegian peace facilitators are likely to suggest the Swiss capital of Geneva as a venue for the resumption of talks between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, diplomatic sources said on Sunday. Norwegian International Development Minister and Special Envoy to Sri Lanka Erik Solheim, who arrives in Colombo on Monday is expected to persuade the LTTE over this proposal, Norwegian Embassy sources said. Geneva has emerged as a compromise venue after the LTTE rejected the government’s earlier proposal to have talks in an Asian country.

Meanwhile, government sources said that President Mahinda Rajapakse was even likely to agree to LTTE demands of having talks in Oslo. “It is peace that the government values the most,” a government source said when contacted. Analysts meanwhile point out that the LTTE may place further demands on the government including the repeated demand to disband “paramilitary groups” purportedly working in collusion with the military.