VIDAR HELGESEN, NORWEGIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: I think there is a popular mandate on the Tamil side for peace. People are tired by war. They want to rebuild their lives. They want to rebuild their communities. As your program shows, there`s a lot of devastation in the Tamil areas, and it`s time now to embark on the way to peace to rebuild their lives.

JANA WENDT: So is it true that the government`s economic blockade in the Tamil-controlled areas has, as you put it, simply worn them down over so many years?

VIDAL HELGESEN: Well, I think it`s clear that, for the civilians, the blockade has had severe implications. Militarily, the Tamil Tigers are still strong, but this is not about finding a military solution. It`s about realising on both sides that there is no military solution to the conflict, that there needs to be a solution found by peaceful means, by political means, and that realisation is there on both sides.

JANA WENDT: Well, let`s talk about the government side. We`ve just heard from the government`s Minister for Economic Reform. He says, "I think the government realises we cannot go on. The world has no patience with us. The country has no patience with us. The international climate is forcing both sides to look for a compromise." What is that international climate, do you believe?

VIDAL HELGESEN: Well, I think, post-September 11, the eyes of the world is on conflicts like this, and I think the parties in Sri Lanka show the world that there is a peaceful way to settle these kinds of conflicts. It`s still a long way ahead but, in the international climate, I think the two parties have shown courage to embark on this long road to peace.

JANA WENDT: The LTTE, as you know, has been banned as a terrorist organisation in a number of countries - in the US, in the UK, in Australia. In the light of that, has that forced a move towards a settlement and, secondly, what have your dealings been like with the Tigers?

VIDAL HELGESEN: Well, first of all, I think no country and no organisation is unaffected by the events after September 11 and that probably includes the Tigers. Our dealings with them have been very constructive. We feel that they strongly want to seize this opportunity and to, to find a settlement. We have engaged with their political representative in London, Anton Balasingham, and communicated or shuttled between the LTTE and the government and we have found both parties very constructive.

JANA WENDT: We saw a change of government in Sri Lanka in December and the new prime minister is certainly - or at least appears to be - driving this peace initiative, but there is hostility from the President. Could the President and her supporters scuttle this?

VIDAL HELGESEN: It`s very clear that the Prime Minister was elected on a peace mandate and it`s very clear that there is a strong popular support for the peace process on the Sinhalese side. There is a cohabitation. The President is from another party. She has given clear support to the peace process. I think that is very crucial, that there is a bipartisan support for the process and she has, of course, left the detailing of the process to the Prime Minister. Then, she has had some critical remarks regarding aspects of the ceasefire agreement and of the process, but I think that`s fairly normal, there could be different opinions and that`s exactly what this peace process is about - that Sri Lankans want to settle their differences in a peaceful manner and in a democratic manner, so I`m not too worried about her critical remarks, because her full support to the peace process at large is critical here.

JANA WENDT: But her recent remarks have been very critical of this process. She claims that this initiative compromises Sri Lanka`s national security and sovereignty. Now, that is serious, isn`t it?

VIDAL HELGESEN: Yes. I would leave it to the Prime Minister to discuss this with her, because this might come down to some misunderstandings about the elements of the cease-fire agreement, because there is nothing in the ceasefire agreement that would infringe on the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and on the national security, I think.

JANA WENDT: Nonetheless, for a period of nearly 20 years, the Tigers have said that their principal aim was the establishment of an independent state. Do you understand from them now that they are willing to compromise?

VIDAL HELGESEN: Well, we haven`t entered into the actual negotiations but, yes, I understand from both parties, they`re willing to compromise and that they aim at a sort of interim solution for the areas under Tamil influence and I believe that this willingness to compromise is what`s going to bring about a political solution.

JANA WENDT: OK, Mr Helgesen, we must leave it there. Very much appreciate your time.