NEW DELHI, February 10: There is no military solution to the raging ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

Now here on his third visit to India as prime minister, Stoltenberg told reporters on Saturday: "We don’t believe there is any military solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka."

"After some years of fighting, they will have to meet again," he said about the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."

Norway had helped facilitate the ceasefire in the island in February 2002. The Sri Lankan government abrogated the ceasefire in mid-January. Since then, nearly a thousand LTTE rebels have reportedly died in the Sri Lankan security forces’ offensive against them in Jaffna peninsula, the separatists’ only stronghold.

However, Norway is still in contact with both Colombo and the LTTE.

The visiting prime minister said Norway remains committed to finding a solution to the ethnic conflict in the island-nation.

Stoltenberg said: "I appeal to the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to re-engaged in a meaningful dialogue process that is acceptable to all communities."