A European peace envoy began talks with a top Tamil Tiger rebel leader in northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday, a rebel spokesman said. The two are expected to discuss a tsunami aid-sharing plan that has divided the government. Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen was meeting with S.P. Thamilselvan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam, in Kilinochchi town, said Silvaraja Sanojan, an official at the LTT Media office. He declined to provide details of the talks. Helgesen arrived in Sri Lanka Monday on mission to ease tensions arising from a proposal under which the government and separatist rebels would jointly oversee the distribution of some of the billions of dollars (euros) in aid pledged since the Dec. 26 disaster. The Norwegian envoy discussed the plan with President Chandrika Kumaratunga in Colombo on Tuesday and traveled to rebel-dominated Kilinochchi early Wednesday. The tsunami killed more than 31,000 Sri Lankans and displaced a further 1 million. The rebels have complained that post-tsunami assistance has not reached many areas under their control in the north and east, according to a report of The Associated Press.
