COLOMBO: Norway's foreign minister is visiting Sri Lanka in a sign of reviving relations since a failed peace deal brokered by the Nordic country to end a civil war.

Borge Brende's visit Thursday is the first visit to Sri Lanka in 11 years. The last visit was in 2005 as part of Norway's effort to hold together a fragile cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and the now-defeated separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

Relations between the two nations soured after the cease-fire collapsed in 2006. Sri Lankan troops crushed the rebels three years later.

Brede has met Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and is scheduled to meet President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and participate in a business forum.