US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1504

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS, S/CT, EUR/NB, EUR/ERA; 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:    DECL: 08-28-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PINS, CE, XG, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:  Norwegian envoy meets with Tigers in Paris; EU 
chiefs of mission lambaste Tigers in public statement 
 
Refs:  (A) Colombo-SA/INS 08-27-03 unclass email 
-      (B) Colombo 1408, and previous (Notal) 
 
(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Charge' 
d'Affaires.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  In recent peace process developments: 
Norwegian Envoy Erik Solheim has been involved in 
meetings with the Tigers in Paris.  There are reports 
that the Tigers will next visit Switzerland for further 
discussions.  In the meantime, the EU chiefs of mission 
in Colombo issued a press statement on August 27 
condemning the Tigers for a spate of recent killings. 
In other news, Finnish ex-president Ahtisaari has just 
wrapped up a visit to Sri Lanka in which he discussed 
peace process issues.  Despite all of the international 
engagement in the peace track, the Tigers continue to 
keep their cards close to the vest.  END SUMMARY. 
 
============================= 
Solheim meets Tigers in Paris 
============================= 
 
2.  (C) In recent peace process developments:  The 
Norwegian Embassy has confirmed that GoN Special Envoy 
Erik Solheim met with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE) leaders in Paris on August 27.  Solheim will 
probably meet them again today (August 28). 
(Note:  Since late last week, several Tiger leaders and 
pro-LTTE Tamils have been holding an "in-house" meeting 
in Paris, which is now wrapping up.)  Re the substance 
of Solheim's meeting, Norwegian embassy poloff Kjersti 
Tromsdal told us that the special envoy had discussed 
the GSL's recent proposal for governing the north/east 
with LTTE political chief S.P. Thamilchelvam and other 
pro-LTTE Tamils.  Tromsdal said Solheim had received 
indications during the meeting that the Tigers remained 
on schedule to provide their counter-proposals to the 
government by late September.  If all went well, talks 
between the two sides may be in position to recommence 
later this year.  (Note:  There are also reports that 
representatives of the "Forum of Federations," a 
Canadian NGO, met with the LTTE in Paris.) 
 
3.  (SBU) Tromsdal also confirmed press reports that 
some of the participants in the Tigers' meeting in Paris 
would next travel to Switzerland.  Tromsdal was not 
certain of the LTTE team's meeting schedule there, but 
thought the Tigers were slated to hold discussions 
regarding federalism with Swiss government officials and 
other figures. 
 
================= 
EU Lambastes LTTE 
================= 
 
4.  (SBU) In the meantime, the chiefs of mission of 
European Union countries in Colombo issued a press 
release late August 27 condemning the Tigers for a spate 
of recent assassinations.  The statement, which received 
solid coverage in the local media, asserted that "such 
atrocities are morally indefensible, jeopardize the 
ceasefire agreement and threaten to undermine 
international and domestic confidence in the peace 
process."  The statement also urged a resumption of 
peace negotiations between the LTTE and the GSL, and, in 
a reference to an unauthorized Tiger camp in eastern Sri 
Lanka, called on the LTTE to "accept all rulings of the 
(Norwegian-run) Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission."  Italian 
Ambassador Salvatore Zotta told the Charge' that the 
statement would be issued in Rome and Brussels today. 
(Note:  The text of the statement was provided to SA/INS 
in Ref A and it is also provided in para eight.) 
Mission has not picked up any reaction by the LTTE to 
the EU statement as of yet. 
 
============================= 
Visit by Finnish ex-President 
============================= 
 
5.  (C) In other news, Marti Ahtisaari, the former 
Finnish president, visited Sri Lanka at the invitation 
of President Kumaratunga, August 23-25. At a meeting 
chaired by Lakshman Kadirgamar, a former foreign 
minister, and local think-tank experts, Ahtisaari 
received a briefing on the peace process.  Kethesh 
Loganathan, an analyst at the Center for Policy 
Alternatives, told us August 28 that Ahtisaari listened 
carefully to the briefing, offering comments based on 
his experiences with the UN and elsewhere.  In his 
public remarks, Ahtisaari expressed strong support for 
the peace track, urging parties in the south to work 
together in the national interest. 
6.  (C) Ahtisaari's visit was a bit controversial.  EU 
Delegation chief Wouter Wilton told the Charge' that 
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, apparently upset that 
Ahtisaari was visiting at the invitation of his rival, 
President Kumaratunga, turned down a meeting request. 
Wilson said he later was able to convince the PM to 
speak to Ahtisaari on the phone.  According to Wilson, 
Ahtisaari conveyed the same message to both leaders: 
"grow up" and start working together on the peace track. 
The Norwegians were also reportedly miffed at Ahtisaari 
over seemingly critical words he had for the Norwegian 
facilitators which were cited in the press.  Tromsdal 
told us that Ahtisaari later called Norwegian Ambassador 
Hans Brattskar to say he had been misquoted.  Ahtisaari 
said he had meant to say that facilitation was a 
difficult undertaking, but that the Norwegians should 
continue their efforts. 
 
======= 
COMMENT 
======= 
 
7.  (C) Despite all of the international engagement in 
the peace track, e.g., Solheim's meetings, the LTTE's 
possible trip to Switzerland, Ahtisaari's visit, etc., 
the Tigers continue to keep their cards close to the 
vest.  Although the group has made some positive sounds, 
there is still no firm indication if or when it plans to 
come back to the talks.  At this point, the government 
has few other options but to keep playing along.  As for 
the EU statement, it follows closely on the key points 
the U.S. made in its August 6 press statement (see 
Ref B).  END COMMENT. 
 
8.  (U) The EU chiefs of mission August 27 press 
statement follows: 
 
Begin text: 
 
The Heads of Mission of the European Union in Colombo 
wish to express their concern at the recent spate of 
politically-motivated murders in Sri Lanka. The victims 
have included Tamil politicians, Muslim private 
individuals and people connected with the security 
forces. Such atrocities are morally indefensible, 
jeopardise the Ceasefire Agreement between the 
Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of 
Tamil Eelam, and threaten to undermine international and 
domestic confidence in the Peace Process. 
 
In that respect, the Heads of Mission take note of the 
recent findings of Amnesty International and Human 
Rights Watch. 
 
The Heads of Mission emphasize the importance of the 
Ceasefire Agreement as a cornerstone of the Peace 
Process. It is essential that both parties adhere to its 
provisions and accept the rulings of the Sri Lanka 
Monitoring Mission. Such an approach would provide the 
best means of ending the current impasse over the 
establishment of the Kurankupanchan Camp. 
Recalling the conclusions of the Tokyo Conference, the 
Heads of Mission stress that assistance by the donor 
community will be closely linked to substantial and 
parallel progress in the Peace Process. This progress 
must include full compliance with the Ceasefire 
Agreement, the protection of interests of all 
communities, the effective promotion of the human rights 
of all people and the respect for democracy and rule of 
law. 
 
In that context the Heads of Mission hope that the 
LTTE's current deliberations will lead to their resuming 
participation in the Peace talks at an early stage. 
 
End text. 
 
9.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
ENTWISTLE