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Peace process: Oslo out, UN in?
Kofi Annan’s troubleshooter on urgent mission here after CBK’s telephone calls
By Thalif Deen in New York and Chris Kamalendran in Colombo
Two urgent telephone calls from President Chandrika Kumaratunga to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan seeking an enhanced role for the world body in Sri Lanka's peace process have triggered the arrival of a senior UN diplomat in Colombo while causing a flurry of activity in diplomatic circles here about Norway's future status as peace broker.

Sri Lanka, which has customarily rebuffed all UN offers at mediation fearing it would internationalize a domestic ethnic problem, has eventually turned to the world body for critical help. Prior to her departure to China last week, President spoke twice with Mr. Annan, once phoning him while he was on the road touring famine-struck sub-Saharan Africa.

The President is learnt to have sought Mr. Annan's assistance to urge the United Nations to take a pro-active role in the country's two decade long northern insurgency and the stalled peace process against the backdrop of mounting criticism of the conduct of current facilitator, Norway.

She had also referred to the need to end the recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE, and also probe human rights violations and the growing number of targeted killings, including the recent high-profile assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

President Kumaratunga is scheduled to meet the UN Chief next week when she addresses the UN summit meeting of world leaders, to be followed by the annual General Assembly sessions. She is expected to push for a greater UN role in Sri Lanka to kick-start the stalled peace process.

The decision to invite the UN into playing a bigger role in Sri Lanka's peace process has come officially un-announced either in Colombo or New York.
Farhan Haq, a UN spokesman in New York, told The Sunday Times that Mr. Annan had asked his Special Advisor Lakhdar Brahimi to visit Sri Lanka and submit a report on the current political, and military situation in the country.
Mr. Haq emphasized that Mr. Brahimi's current four-day visit to Colombo, which began Friday, was "on a request from the government of Sri Lanka," and was not on the initiative of the United Nations. Mr. Brahimi, a former Algerian Foreign Minister is considered a specialist on areas of conflict prevention and conflict resolution, and was on a visit to Nepal when he was requested to divert to Colombo before returning back to office.

"Mr.Brahimi shall assess the situation in the country and subsequently report to the Secretary-General," the UN spokesman added. Mr. Brahimi arrived in Colombo shortly before midnight Friday and was met by President’s political advisor Ram Manickalingam, a key player in the peace process. The Sunday Times was prevented by Foreign Ministry officials from asking Mr. Brahimi questions about his visit, but a photo-opportunity was granted.

President Kumaratunga, who returned from her state visit to China the same night met Mr. Brahimi last morning for talks. The UN diplomat also met Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem yesterday and was briefed about the grievances of the Muslims of the east, and about the need to involve them in future negotiations with the LTTE. Mr. Brahimi is due to meet Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and other political leaders during his visit. He is not scheduled to visit Kilinochchi to meet LTTE leaders. But he will meet a TNA delegation on Tuesday in Colombo.

As a UN troubleshooter, he has been involved in conflict resolution in countries such as Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Haiti, Yemen, Lebanon, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan, and more recently in Nepal. His two major assignments, however, were in Iraq and Afghanistan, though both countries are still in political and military turmoil.

Mr. Annan said that his Special Advisor had served "in the most dangerous places, carrying out the most delicate and difficult assignments with great integrity and true wisdom" "He is one of our leading global citizens, whose wise counsel I rely on," the Secretary-General added.

Norwegian Embassy spokesperson Kjeish Tromsdal told The Sunday Times that they had been informed about the visit of the UN envoy but did not wish to make any comment. The sudden turn of events has meanwhile caused a flurry of activity in diplomatic circles. Several diplomats confirmed they were taken by surprise. Analysts believe the move was inspired by mounting criticism on Norway's role in the current peace process in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of former Foreign Minister Kadirgamar, and President Kumaratunga's own handling of the situation.

They point out that the earliest indication they got of the government's disappointment with the Norwegians came when incumbent Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike criticised Norway's poor performance during an interview with The Hindu newspaper's New Delhi correspondent during his recent visit to India.

Diplomatic sources said that the Kumaratunga government was also considering expanding the co-chairs of the peace process, i.e. the US, EU, Japan and Norway. No mention was made as to which countries were to be included, but the suggestion was that it include China and India.(Please see editorial)

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