The Sri Lankan government said on Thursday that it was expecting a breakthrough next month in its efforts to revive the stalled peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Mangala Samaraweera, government spokesman and minister of portsand aviation, told reporters that "we are hoping for some breakthrough next month with the arrival of the Norwegian Foreign Minister".

The Sri Lankan government's efforts since May to revive the stalled negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been of no avail so far.

The two sides got bogged down over the LTTE condition to re-start negotiations based on the interim power sharing blue print for the northern and eastern provinces.

In addition, the LTTE's accusation that the government troop was aiding and abetting the LTTE's renegade Commander Karuna has also put breaks on the revival effort.

Samaraweera said the government would be willing to start talks on discussing the interim plan with the government's own proposal.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen is expected to arrive here in mid November for yet another facilitation effort to revive the talks.

The visit is the last of a series of visits by the international community stake holders next month. Yasushi Akashi, a Japanese special peace envoy is currently on a tour of the island talking to the government, opposition and Tiger leaders.

He is to be followed by the Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim and US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Peace talks between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels have been on hold since last April after six rounds of direct negotiations which started in September 2002.

Source: Xinhua