US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO558

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000558 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, EAID, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: KUMARATUNGA SAYS READY TO SIGN JOINT MECHANISM 
WITH LTTE 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reason 1.4(D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  President Kumaratunga told Ambassador March 
17 that she believes establishing a joint mechanism with LTTE 
for administration of tsunami reconstruction is necessary. 
One issue remains to be resolved.  Once it is, she is ready 
to sign and does not believe her coalition partner the JVP 
will walk out as they have threatened.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  (C) After discussing reconstruction effort with President 
Kumaratunga May 17 (septel), Ambassador asked Kumaratunga 
about status of efforts to reach agreement with the LTTE on a 
"joint mechanism" for administration of reconstruction effort 
in North and East.  Kumaratunga said she believed such a 
mechanism was absolutely necessary and they were close to 
agreement.  Only one real substantive issue remained, that of 
control of the ocean areas.  The GSL had proposed that the 
mechanism cover the area two kilometers inland from the high 
tide mark.  The LTTE responded that there was much debris 
under the ocean which needed to be cleared. They wanted the 
area under the mechanism to extend two kilometers out to sea. 
 
3. (C) Kumaratunga said that no government could cede 
sovereignty over the adjacent seas to a rebel group, so this 
proposal was unacceptable.  The GSL had counter-proposed that 
a neutral international organization--perhaps a UN agency--be 
put in charge of clearing the ocean areas.  The Norwegians 
had presented this idea to the LTTE, but they had not yet 
responded.  The response was being slowed down because LTTE 
negotiator Tamilchelvan  was now touring Europe. 
 
4.  (C) Ambassador said that we and others in the 
international community strongly supported the establishment 
of the mechanism.  It was not only crucial for the delivery 
of reconstruction assistance in the North and East, but could 
also set a  tone which could lead to progress in the peace 
talks.  If she signed, she would have our support. 
 
5.  (C) Kumaratunga repeated that she also believed in the 
necessity of establishing the mechanism.  Ambassador asked if 
she thought her coalition partner, the radical JVP party, 
would walk out if she signed, as they had threatened.    She 
said they would not--they were bluffing.  She claimed that 
her arch-rival, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, 
was paying JVP members to stir up trouble for her.  At any 
rate, she said, she was the President with the mandate of the 
people, and there were times when you just had to make a 
decision. 
 
6.  COMMENT:  Kumaratunga  was forceful and appeared sincere 
in her determination to go ahead with the joint mechanism 
agreement.  She was also confident that she could bring the 
JVP to heel.  Others in her own party, such as Foreign 
Minister Kadirgamar, seem less enthused, and we will see if 
they can find ways to delay things. 
LUNSTEAD