Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who revived a peace bid with Tamil rebels in 2001, is effectively "out of the peace process" due to his power struggle with the President, a Norwegian envoy said today (Nov 14).

"He would not be able to take decisions and make compromises at the table, so effectively he has said he is out of the peace process," Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen told reporters.

"The Prime Minister can't take responsibility for the peace process and is unable to give security guarantees," Helgesen said.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who accuses both Norway and Wickremesinghe of conceding too much to the Tamil Tigers, on November 4 took over three Ministries including Defence, giving her full control of security forces.

Helgesen said today the peace process was on hold, after his five-day mission, in which he met separately with Kumaratunga, Wickremesinghe and Tamil Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Agencies