US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1533

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001533 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS, S/CT, EAP/J, EUR/NB; NSC 
FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:     DECL:  09-04-13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, EAID, CE, JA, NO, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  Japanese propose that donors meet September 12 
in Colombo during Akashi visit 
 
Refs:  (A) Colombo-SA/INS 09/03/03 telecon/fax 
 
-      (B) Oslo 1789 (Notal) 
-      (C) Colombo 1370, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. 
Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.   (C) SUMMARY:  In a September 3 meeting with 
Ambassador Lunstead, Japanese Ambassador Otsuka said the 
GoJ wanted to convene a "follow-up meeting of the Tokyo 
conference" for donors on September 12 during Special 
Envoy Akashi's visit to Sri Lanka.  The GSL, 
international organizations, and the Tigers would also 
be invited to the meeting.  In a follow-on meeting 
involving the other co-chairs, Norwegian Ambassador 
Brattskar confirmed that Deputy Foreign Minister 
Helgesen plans to visit Sri Lanka from September 17-19. 
Mission believes that the Japanese proposal is basically 
a constructive one.  It might be sparking more friction 
between the GoJ and the Norwegians over their respective 
roles, however.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Japanese Proposal 
----------------- 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador Lunstead met September 3 with 
Japanese Ambassador Seiichiro Otsuka.  Otsuka began the 
meeting by expressing concern about the state of the 
peace process.  He noted the negative pattern of 
activities by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE), including the group's refusal to respect the 
rulings of the monitors and the spate of assassinations 
of anti-LTTE Tamils.  He also expressed worries about 
cohabitation stresses.  Overall, Otsuka seemed 
discouraged by the situation. 
 
3.  (C) Changing gears, Otsuka confirmed that Japanese 
Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi was planning to visit Sri 
Lanka from September 11-15.  As part of the visit, 
Otsuka related that the GoJ had proposed that Akashi 
meet with V. Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tamil 
Tigers, in the LTTE-controlled Vanni region of northern 
Sri Lanka.  If Prabhakaran was not available, Akashi 
would also be pleased to meet with S.P. Thamilchelvam, 
the LTTE political chief.  As part of the Colombo leg of 
the visit, Akashi had also asked to meet President 
Kumaratunga.  Otsuka, noting precedent, was not sure 
whether either the LTTE or Kumaratunga meetings would 
indeed come off.  Akashi was also planning a visit to 
the Eastern Province.  Ambassador Lunstead is scheduled 
to meet with Akashi on September 11. 
 
4.  (C) As reviewed with Department in Ref A, Otsuka 
also noted that the GoJ wanted to hold a "follow-up 
meeting of the Tokyo conference" on September 12 in 
Colombo for the donors.  The GSL, the LTTE, and 
international organizations would also be invited to the 
meeting, although Akashi doubted the Tigers would 
attend.  Japan hoped to use the meeting to review the 
peace process and discuss next steps, including ideas 
that the GoJ had developed in a non-paper passed to the 
U.S. last month (see Ref C).  (Note:  Ref A contained 
two documents provided by Otsuka to the Ambassador:  the 
first is the announcement of the proposed September 12 
meeting and a draft agenda.  The second document is the 
tentative itinerary for Akashi's visit.) 
 
5.  (C) Otsuka also mentioned that Vice Foreign Minister 
Yukio Takeuchi was scheduled to meet with the Deputy 
Secretary on September 5.  Otsuka indicated that it was 
 
SIPDIS 
possible that Sri Lanka-related issues might come up 
during that meeting. 
 
----------------------------- 
Meeting of the Four Co-Chairs 
----------------------------- 
 
6.  (C) After being joined by the two other co-chairs, 
Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar and EU Charge' 
d'Affaires Wouter Wilton, the discussion centered around 
what Akashi would say to the press and when.  Otsuka 
proposed that Akashi speak for the donors after his trip 
to the Vanni on September 14, i.e., there would be no 
"joint" statement.  The Japanese would later draw up a 
summary of the donors' discussion, which would be 
cleared by the co-chairs.  Ambassador Lunstead noted 
that it would probably be better if Akashi made his 
statement right after the conclusion of the donor 
meeting on September 12, as the press no doubt would be 
on site and appreciate some information.  Moreover, if 
the purpose of the meeting was to put pressure on the 
Tigers to rejoin the peace process, it made sense to 
announce it before seeing them, not afterwards.  After 
some discussion, Otsuka said the GoJ would begin 
preparing a draft statement for donor review although he 
was still not sure it should be made public. 
 
7.  (C) During the discussion, it was noticeable that 
Brattskar initially appeared uncomfortable with the 
proposed donor meeting, but, after some discussion, his 
comfort level seemed to grow a bit.  Brattskar 
emphasized that any statement by Akashi should be 
general in nature, noting that "time-lines and 
conditions for assistance" would not be helpful for the 
peace process at this time.  Otsuka seemed to take on 
board Brattskar's points. 
 
-------------- 
Helgesen Visit 
-------------- 
 
8.  (SBU) Brattskar confirmed that Norwegian Deputy 
Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and Special Envoy Erik 
Solheim plan to visit Sri Lanka from September 17-19. 
Along with meetings with GSL officials and others in the 
south, Helgesen and Solheim have also requested a 
meeting with President Kumaratunga.  They are also 
seeking a meeting with the LTTE.  Brattskar was also 
concernced that the Akashi visit not upstage that by his 
deputy foreign minister. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
9.  (C) While a bit sudden, Mission believes that the 
Japanese proposal is basically a constructive one.  A 
meeting among the donors and the Sri Lankan government 
could help get everyone's ducks in a row in the post- 
Tokyo conference period.  In particular, a clear, 
carefully drawn up message underwritten by all of the 
donors urging the Tigers to return to the talks, respect 
the monitors, and end their assassinations would be very 
useful at this time.  That said, judging from 
Brattskar's uncomfortable reaction, the Japanese 
proposal might be sparking more friction between the GoJ 
and the Norwegians over their respective roles.  The 
Ambassador is scheduled to meet with Brattskar late 
September 4 and will sound him out.  The Ambassador will 
also get India's take when he meets with High 
Commissioner Nirupam Sen later today.  END COMMENT. 
 
10.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
Lunstead