No high expectations on the resumption of peace talks

However, he told Elmo Fernando of BBC Sandeshaya that the Norwegian facilitators are trying to do their utmost to get both parties back to the negotiating table.

Hakim was speaking after having met Norwegian special peace envoy Erik Solheim in Colombo.

The Norwegian envoy is conducting a series of preparatory meetings before the arrival of foreign minister Jan Petersen on Wednesday.

He also met a delegation of parliamentarians from the Tamil National Allaince (TNA).

Balasingham in Colombo

Solheim arrived in Colombo Tuesday morning as did the Tamil Tiger's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham and Adele Balasingham.

They met at Katunayake together with Norway’s ambassador in Colombo, Hans Bratskar.

Since the talks stalled in April last year, Norwegian facilitators have made several attempts to restart peace talks.

So far they've failed and ahead of his visit the Norwegian foreign minister Jan Petersen stressed that he did not have high expectations of talks resuming.

However, he said it was important to continue engaging with both sides.

Mr Petersen will meet both President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the Tamil Tiger rebel leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

"Imaptient"

Norwegian mediators regularly visit Sri Lanaka, but BBC’s Dumeetha Luthra says the foreign minister's visit reflects growing impatience with the failure to resume negotiations.

The impetus is also to ensure the two year ceasefire is upheld by both sides.

There has been a spate of political murders since the defection of a Tiger commander in March.

It was the first time the Tamil Tiger movement has shown internal dissent and the rebel group has been accused of the killings.

They deny it but the incidents have severely strained the truce.