US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO705

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000705 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  04/28/14 
TAGS: AMGT, CE, MV, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 063 (04/28/04) 
 
 
Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b) and 
(d). 
 
CONTENTS: JVP MINISTERS, DEPUTY MINISTERS SWORN IN 
-         RUMORS OF LOW-LEVEL SLFP-UNP DISCUSSIONS 
-         FORMER FM RESIGNS FROM PARTY 
   -    NORWEGIAN VISIT 
 
JVP MINISTERS, DEPUTY MINISTERS SWORN IN 
---------------------------------------- 
 
1.  (U) FYI.  After much wrangling with the President 
over the content of their ministerial portfolios (see 
Colombo 702, and previous), the JVP accepted the 
compromise offered by Kumaratunga and eight JVP MPs 
assumed their minister- and deputy-ministerships in an 
April 28 ceremony.  The JPV took control of the 
Agricultural, Lands, and Irrigation; Cultural Affairs 
and National Heritage; Rural Economy and Rural 
Industries; Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ministries. 
We will be providing bio-data.  (POL) 
 
RUMORS OF LOW-LEVEL SLFP-UNP DISCUSSIONS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) FYI.  Contacts have told us that members of 
President Kumaratunga's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) 
are in low-level discussions with members of the United 
National Party (UNP) about the possible formation of a 
"national" government.  (The DCM heard a similar report 
from the Australian High Commissioner, a well-informed 
diplomat.)  No further details are available.  At this 
point, it seems unlikely that either the President or 
the UNP leadership will put the past behind them and 
take the big plunge.  Should the two parties reach an 
agreement, however, it could be a way for the President 
to ease out of her alliance with the JVP, which has 
already proved to be contentious.  The UNP is also not 
thrilled to be working closely with the TNA.  (POL) 
 
FORMER FM RESIGNS FROM PARTY 
---------------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU) FYI.  Former Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando 
has officially resigned from the UNP via a letter to 
former PM Wickremesinghe.  Fernando has been quite 
public of late about his ire with the UNP after he was 
not accorded a parliamentary seat on the UNP's "National 
List."  He wrote a public letter of complaint to former 
PM Wickremesinghe in the days immediately following the 
election (see Colombo 669).  There are rumors that 
Fernando will join the UNP's rival, the UPFA, but there 
is no confirmation of this.  (POL) 
 
NORWEGIAN VISIT 
--------------- 
 
4. (C)  Helgesen and Solheim arrive Saturday, supposed 
to see CBK on Sunday.  Solheim will then go to the Wanni 
while Helgesen will continue to Indonesia to meet a 
longstanding commitment there.  The Ambassador (in 
Jaffna today) is hosting a co-chair lunch Thursday. 
(DCM) 
 
LUNSTEAD