US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO797

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000797 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INR/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA 
SA/INS (CAMP, DEAN, WALLER) SA/PD (SCENSNY, ROGERS, 
STRYKER); SSA/PAS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PHUM, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, PREL, CE 
SUBJECT: MEDIA PLAY:  KADIRGAMAR COVERAGE: LONG ON 
HEADLINES, SHORT ON EDITORIAL COMMENT 
 
 
1. Summary.  When Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Lakshman 
Kadirgamar visited Washington in mid-May, press coverage in 
Sri Lanka was long on headlines, short on editorial 
comment.  Newspapers and broadcasters, both English and 
vernacular, gave extensive coverage to the visit, starting 
on 5/13 and moving through the weekend.  Most headlines 
were anodyne, although Kadirgamar was occasionally caught 
making misstatements regarding the Millennium Challenge 
Account or commenting on the LTTE in ways that appeared to 
deviate from GOSL policy.  Curiously, only three newspapers 
commented editorially on the FM's visit.  A government- 
owned English daily said that the FM had received a 
"Morale-booster from US."  Under "Chaos in a country" an 
independent Sinhala weekender praised Kadirgamar for 
criticizing other Sri Lankan politicians.  And under "Hard 
talk alone won't do" an independent English daily praised 
Deputy Secretary Armitage's "strong criticisms of LTTE 
terrorism."  End summary. 
 
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Headlines 
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2. Most headlines emphasized the USG's continuing 
commitment to the peace process.  For instance, the 
independent English daily, ISLAND, reported on the FM's 
meeting with Armitage under the headline, "Kadir-Armitage 
pow-wow:  U.S. asks LTTE to give up arms," and the 
government-owned Sinhala daily, DINAMINA, quoted Armitage: 
"no connections with Tigers until they renounce terrorism." 
Said the government-owned English DAILY NEWS:  "Powell 
reiterates U.S. support in Govt's quest for peace." 
 
3. Other headlines, however, seemed to have Kadirgamar 
charting his own course.  Items: 
 
- Although Sri Lanka has been designated as "eligible" for 
the Millennium Challenge Account, headlines in the DAILY 
NEWS had the FM erroneously talking of a "U.S. 100 M dollar 
outright grant for development":  "nearly U.S. $100 million 
will be immediately available to Sri Lanka as a U.S. 
Millennium Challenge Account, Foreign Minister Lakshman 
Kadirgamar disclosed yesterday." 
 
- Although his government has said the LTTE's ISGA 
proposals will be a basis for future peace negotiations, 
Kadirgamar offered his own views in Washington, however. 
"Kadir sees dangers in ISGA proposals" said the independent 
English DAILY MIRROR.  "ISGA is a blueprint for a separate 
state, says Kadirgamar in Washington," reported the 
independent Sinhala daily, LANKADEEPA.  Even the 
government-owned telecaster, RUPAVAHINI, noted:  "Minister 
Lakshman Kadirgamar says that no government could grant 
everything demanded by the LTTE for an interim 
administration." 
 
- And in a statement likely to infuriate the LTTE, 
Kadirgamar wondered aloud whether India would attempt to 
extradite LTTE leader Prabhakaran.  "It's up to the Indian 
government to get down Prabhakaran," said headlines in the 
independent Sinhala daily, DIVAINA, while its English 
sister, ISLAND, said:  "Congress may seek Prabhakaran's 
extradition - Kadir."  The independent Sinhala daily, 
LANKADEEPA, made a similar declaration:  "India may ask to 
hand over Prabhakaran, says Minister Kadirgamar in 
Washington." 
 
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Editorial excerpts: 
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4. Under the header "Morale-booster from US," the 
government-owned English DAILY NEWS (5/18) said:  "Going by 
the pronouncements of strong support for Sri Lanka and its 
peace process, by some top officials of the US Government, 
it could be said that Foreign Minister Lakshman 
Kadirgamar's visit to the US has been exceedingly 
successful and productive.  It has helped to further 
bolster our ties with the US.  Take for instance the 
statements made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell and 
his deputy Richard Armitage, when they met the Lankan 
Foreign Minister.  There was strong endorsement of the 
Lankan peace process by these officials who pledged strong 
support to the UPFA Government in our conflict resolution 
effort." 
 
5. Under the header "Chaos in a country," an Independent 
Sinhala weekender, DIVAMINA (5/16):  "In a speech made in 
Washington, 'Democracy implemented in the third world:  the 
Sri Lankan experience,' Minister Kadirgamar said that the 
two main parties in Sri Lanka are hefty, exhausted, 
extremely corrupt, and inefficient.  That is why so many 
people voted for JVP this time.  Although the masses 
frequently say this, it's very rarely that a politician 
makes such a straightforward statement..  Hats off to 
Minister Kadirgamar for proclaiming this fact in public." 
 
6. Under the header "Hard talk alone won't do," the 
independent English daily, ISLAND (5/15) said:  "... 
Armitage has been characteristically very strong in his 
criticisms of LTTE terrorism on Thursday.  Speaking to 
reporters in Washington following his meeting with Foreign 
Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, he had reiterated that the 
U.S. will not remove the LTTE from the list of Foreign 
Terrorist Organisations until the LTTE gives up arms 
forever.  The U.S. had not supported the LTTE in any way 
nor given any aid to the LTTE, he had said and referred to 
the tragedy of children being used as child soldiers.  He 
had once again repeated that the LTTE had to give up 
terrorism by word and deed.  Sri Lanka has to appreciate 
the United States and highly placed American officials like 
Mr. Armitage who have not minced words about LTTE terrorism 
and thereby keeping to their commitments against 
international terrorism.  This attitude stands in contrast 
to the wishy-washy attitudes of countries like Britain and 
European powers expressing interest in the Sri Lankan 
issue.  Though Britain has banned the LTTE as a terrorist 
organisation, its spokesman 'Baron Munchausen' Anton 
Balasingham operates freely from London meeting foreign 
representatives, making the British capital the operational 
headquarters of the LTTE.  However, despite the harsh anti- 
terrorist rhetoric of the Superpower, most Sri Lankans are 
wondering whether such condemnation has had any effect on 
the terrorists..  There is strong suspicion . that the 
western powers had drawn up their strategy for the creation 
of a federal or confederal state which Prabakaran has 
consented to but that he, in reality, has no other 
objective than a separate state..  Apparently hard rhetoric 
has not and will not, deter this fanatical terrorist from 
deviating from his objective.  Something much more 
effective has to be done to make him see reason and 
reality. 
 
Lunstead