US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1808

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001808 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, INR/NESA 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  10-17-13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, CE, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:  In meeting with Ambassador, Opposition Leader 
discusses peace process and cohabitation stresses 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1781, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. 
Reasons 1.5 (b, d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  On October 16, Ambassador Lunstead met 
with Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse.  During the 
discussion, Rajapakse highlighted public support for 
peace, but he noted that the GSL's peace efforts were at 
a crucial stage and it had to handle the matter with the 
utmost care.  Regarding cohabitation, he felt that the 
President and Prime Minister needed to work together to 
make the peace process a success.  He went on to confirm 
that his party's proposed alliance with the radical JVP 
had been called off.  In keeping with his reputation, 
Rajapakse was quite amiable in personality and moderate 
in his comments.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------ 
Call on the Opposition Leader 
----------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) Continuing his round of introductory calls, 
Ambassador Lunstead met October 16 with Mahinda 
Rajapakse, leader of the Opposition in Parliament. 
Rajapakse is a key figure in President Kumaratunga's Sri 
Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent element 
in the People's Alliance (PA).  Poloff also attended the 
meeting as notetaker. 
 
------------------------------ 
Ground Level Support for Peace 
------------------------------ 
 
3.  (C) Queried about the peace process, Rajapakse 
agreed with the Ambassador that it was at a crucial 
stage.  He added that most people were waiting to see 
what would happen over the next several weeks when the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) released their 
counterproposals in response to the GSL's north/east 
interim administration plan.  With the LTTE's response 
on its way, he noted that the GSL's peace efforts were 
at a crucial stage and it had to handle the matter with 
the utmost care.  Ninety percent of the people want 
peace, he stated, but the government needs to do a 
better job in campaigning for support for the process in 
the south.  He commented that the government's approach 
of late was to blame the LTTE for problems with the 
peace process.  By not working to garner more public 
support for its peace efforts, the GSL risked increasing 
support for groups like the radical, anti-peace process 
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). 
 
--------------------- 
Cohabitation Stresses 
--------------------- 
 
4.  (C) Turning to the cohabitation situation, Rajapakse 
underlined that President Kumaratunga must work together 
with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe for the sake of the 
peace process.  He admitted, however, that he sensed a 
widening divide between the two leaders, fueled perhaps 
by the President's desire to finish what she felt she 
had started -- the peace process with the Tigers. 
Stating that Kumaratunga would listen to the 
international community, Rajapakse thought this might be 
the only pressure that would encourage her to work 
amicably with the PM. 
 
5.  (C) Although Kumaratunga could not be reelected in 
2006 due to constitutional restrictions, Rajapakse was 
sure that she remained intent on being active in 
politics in Sri Lanka beyond that time.  She could 
retain power, he said, by convincing United National 
Party (UNP) MPs to switch to the PA or by garnering 
public support through an election, although she was not 
considering dissolving Parliament at this time. 
Referring to Anura Bandaranaike, the president's brother 
and Rajapakse's political rival in the PA, he added that 
he did not support Anura's call for the President's 
retirement from politics after her presidential term 
expires. 
 
------------------------ 
No Alliance with the JVP 
------------------------ 
 
6.  (C) Responding to the Ambassador's question, 
Rajapakse stated that the proposed PA-JVP alliance was 
no longer under discussion.  He regretted, however, that 
the few PA members still in favor of the pact were 
"close confidantes" of the President.  Commenting on the 
recent anti-peace process marches by the JVP, Rajapakse 
said several PA members including Anura Bandaranaike had 
also participated without being penalized by their 
party. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
7.  (C) In keeping with his reputation, Rajapakse was 
quite amiable in personality and moderate in his 
comments.  This puts him at odds with Anura 
Bandaranaike, his main party rival, who has grown 
increasingly strident in his opposition to the peace 
process and the GSL's economic reform plans.  Given his 
reputation as a politician with a strong base in the 
Sinhalese Buddhist south, Rajapakse is an important 
figure for the UNP government to keep generally on its 
side with respect to the peace process.  END COMMENT. 
 
8.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD