Sri Lanka's long-delayed and controversial plan to give Tamil Tiger separatists a key role in distributing international tsunami aid could be signed within days, giving a much needed boost to the island's stalled peace process.

Vidar Helgesen, deputy foreign minister of Norway, which is mediating in the conflict, is to urge Tamil Tiger leaders to sign up to the joint mechanism during a visit on Wednesday to the rebel-held north, European diplomats in Colombo said.