US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1984

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001984 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC 
 
E.O. 12958:   DECL: 11-17-13 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, PINS, PHUM, CE, NO, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:  In meeting with Ambassador, President 
Kumaratunga shows little flexibility 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1982, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. 
Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  President Kumaratunga showed little 
flexibility in a discussion with Ambassador on November 
17. She indicated she wanted to keep the Defense 
portfolio in a National Unity Government.  She promised 
to uphold the peace process, support the role of the 
Norwegians and the SLMM, and to make clear to investors 
that Sri Lanka was a safe place.  She showed little 
interest in fresh elections.  She showed a possible hint 
of compromise at the end of the conversation.  She 
praised the U.S. role and U.S. statements.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador met with President Chandrika 
Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK) on November 17 for two 
hours.  The first hour and a quarter was a non-stop 
disquisition by CBK on the evils of UNP rule since 1977, 
and the part in that played by Prime Minister Ranil 
Wickremesinghe.  When she got down to business, CBK made 
the following points: 
 
-- She took the actions she did in the national interest 
because the UNP Government and PM Wickremesinghe refused 
to allow her her constitutional role. 
 
-- Her preferred solution is the formation of a National 
Unity Government, which, she says, the PM had proposed 
when he first came into office.  However, she will 
insist on a proper role for herself (not a "rubber 
stamp") in such a government. 
 
-- She intends to keep the Defense Ministry portfolio, 
although she has proposed to the PM that they agree on a 
Deputy Defense Minister. 
 
-- She is not in favor of new elections, although she 
believes that the SLFP and the JVP together could "eke 
out" a majority. 
 
-- She agrees that the situation needs to be resolved 
quickly. 
 
3.  (C) Ambassador made the point that we were not 
interested in intruding in Sri Lankan internal affairs 
and did not want to get in between the PM and the 
President.  However, we were concerned about the effect 
of the situation on the peace process and on economic 
growth, and it was important that it be clear that she 
supported the peace process and that her actions were 
not intended to create instability.  He also suggested 
that she make clear that she supported the roles of the 
Norwegians and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). 
CBK agreed with all of the above.  She blamed 
sensationalist media reporting on the influence of the 
local AFP correspondent who is, she said, a relative of 
the PM's, and who wanted to create an impression of 
chaos. 
 
4.  (C) Ambassador asked CBK if reports in newspapers 
that the establishment of some type of "Peace 
Commission" could settle the issue were true.  CBK 
stated that no one had discussed the idea with her. 
"Maybe the PM will propose it to me when we meet 
tomorrow," she said.  (Her statement may have been 
carefully phrased, as press reports say that one of her 
close advisers is discussing this idea with the UNP.) 
Finally, CBK dropped a hint of possible flexibility by 
stating that "if the Prime Minister wants to make some 
arrangement, we can settle this -- if he drops some of 
the conditions he is insisting on." 
 
5.  (C) CBK closed by saying that she appreciated the 
statements the U.S. made after her actions.  She also 
noted, as she frequently does, that she has never had a 
chance to meet President Bush, and she hoped that could 
be arranged some time.  Ambassador noted that with 
elections approaching, the President's schedule was very 
tight. 
 
6.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD