Thursday, December 8 2005 16:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A day after Sri Lankan Government made an about turn asking Norway to continue mediating peace with LTTE rebels, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg today (Dec 8, 2005) said his country was ready to do so but made it clear that the effort would be fruitful only if both the parties have the 'real will'.

Stoltenberg, who is here on a three-day visit, said Norway faced the challenge of putting the peace process back on track and emphasised that the ceasefire must be respected by all parties.

Noting that the issue of Sri Lankan peace process will figure in his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he told a select group of reporters here that it was important for India and his country to continue close dialogue with regard to the issue.

"We have been asked by the Sri Lankan President to continue facilitating the dialogue process (with LTTE). We are prepared to continue negotiation but there has to be real will on both sides," he said.

"We will sit with both parties to see how to continue the process. We can play a role and proceed when there is willingness of both sides," Stoltenberg said.

Norway's Development Minister Eric Solheim has been engaged in negotiating peace between the Sri Lankan Government and LTTE for several years. But in his inaugural policy statement after his election recently, President Mahinda Rajapakse called for a brand-new peace process to replace the one pursued by his predecessor Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Rajapakse, however, asked Norwegian Government yesterday to continue negotiating peace process.

Noting that the peace process had got stalled due to disagreement between the Sri Lankan Government and LTTE, the Norwegian Prime Minister said he was not sure when the peace process in the island nation would restart. He, however, expressed optimism on restarting the process.

Asserting that Norway did not take sides between the Government and LTTE as was alleged, Stoltenberg said, "We are not achieving anything. Rather, the parties involved are achieving peace. We are just facilitators." He emphasised that Norway was not prescribing any solution to the ethnic problem. "We cannot impose any solution. The parties involved have to find it. We are just helping the process," he said.

Asked about resumption of violence in Sri Lanka, he condemned it, saying, "All violence and killing is bad. It is important that the ceasefire is respected." Stoltenberg said his visit here would give him an opportunity to exchange views with the Indian leadership on the Sri Lankan peace process.