COLOMBO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka has invited mediator Norway to continue its role in the island's troubled peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels, the government said on Wednesday, despite some expectations they would be kicked out.
New President Mahinda Rajapakse's hardline Marxist and Buddhist allies have been pushing for the removal of Norway -- seen by some in Sri Lanka as too sympathetic to the Tigers -- and aides had said he was keen to bring India on board.
"President Rajapakse invited the Royal Norwegian Government to continue its role as facilitator to the peace process in Sri Lanka," the government information department said in a statement. Oslo had already offered to stay on.
Sri Lanka's 2002 ceasefire is seen more under threat than ever before, with two claymore fragmentation mine attacks on Sunday and Tuesday killing fourteen soldiers -- the deadliest attack since the truce.
Diplomats are worried that despite saying they are keen to talk, neither the government nor the rebels were moving towards contact with each other and the stalled peace process remains in limbo and under increasing strain.