Norway's envoy in firing line

Norway's envoy in firing line

COLOMBO (AFP): Norway's efforts to broker peace in Sri Lanka have suffered another blow with the Colombo government and Tamil rebels locking horns over the removal of Oslo's special envoy, diplomats said on Sunday.

The separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) expressed its displeasure over the "unilateral initiative" of the Sri Lankan government to effect a change in the role of Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim.

"As a facilitator, the government of Norway is under obligation to consult both protagonists before making crucial decisions with regards to its level of involvement or engagement.

"Making a bilateral decision with the government of Sri Lanka, circumventing the other party (LTTE) in conflict entails a breach of protocol and neutrality," the LTTE said in a statement sent here.