Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 17, SPA -- Norway's top peace envoy, ErikSolheim, arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday to mediate a dealbetween the government and Tamil Tiger rebels on thedistribution of aid to areas devastated by the Dec. 26tsunami. Solheim on Sunday visited Muslim refugees displaced by SriLanka's 19-year civil war, which killed more than 65,000people. He was scheduled to travel to the restive easterntown of Batticaloa on Tuesday for talks with the Sri Lankanmilitary, the Tigers and European cease-fire monitors, saidTom Knappskog, a Norwegian spokesman. Norway has worked hard to secure a deal between thegovernment and guerrillas to ensure that foreign aidreaches rebel-held northeastern areas ravaged by the IndianOcean disaster, which killed more than 31,000 people in SriLanka. Officials involved in the peace process said the partieswere expected to move closer to an agreement, but it wasunlikely to be finalized during Solheim's four-day visit. President Chandrika Kumaratunga said last week theproposed joint mechanism to distribute aid would be thefoundation of a final solution of the civil war. If a dealis reached between the two sides, it would be the firstmajor collaboration since peace talks collapsed in April2003.--SPA1238 Local Time 0938 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/255241