Envoy ends Sri Lanka talks

The Norwegian special peace envoy to Sri Lanka has met President Chandrika Kumaratunga in the last of a series of meetings aimed at restarting peace talks between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels.

After meetings with Erik Solheim on Wednesday, the Tamil Tigers repeated that they would only take part in peace negotiations if they were first able to set up their own interim administration in the north and east.

There has been no reaction from President Kumaratunga since she met Mr Solheim, but in the past she has stated her opposition to the demand of the rebels.

A BBC correspondent in Colombo says there were hopes that Mr Solheim's visit would produce a resolution to the stalemate, but the two sides do not appear to have moved any closer.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service