Norway denies helping Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers

The Norwegian embassy here on Sunday dismissed media reports that they had helped the members of the Sri Lankan rebel group Tamil Tigers to escape Sri Lanka.

Aftenposten, a Norwegian newspaper had reported that "staff members in the Norwegian embassy in Colombo have helped approximately 12 people so far, purchasing flight tickets, driving some to the airport and issuing visas at short notice."

This was reacted by Sri Lankan authorities saying that their embassy in Oslo was asked to verify the story.

However the Norwegian embassy here on Sunday said in a statement, "The Norwegian embassy notes that the translation and representation of the article in local media contain some inaccuracies such as referring to the refugees as members of the Tamil Tigers."

The embassy said they had assisted a limited number of people for asylum in Norway but the embassy had not purchased tickets nor had its diplomatic staff escorting them to the airport.

Norway brokered peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels leading to the February 2002 ceasefire accord between the warring parties.

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