US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO635

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, CU, NO, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS:  JOINT MECHANISM ABOUT TO HAPPEN! 
REALLY!  BUT MAYBE NOT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reason 1.4 (d). 
 
 1. (C) SUMMARY:  Norwegian Ambassador thinks both sides are 
close to agreement on Joint Mechanism, but it may not be 
finalized until after mid-April holidays.  "Off shore" issue 
is sole remaining dispute.  Kumaratunga may conclude 
agreement as President, not on behalf of current government. 
Both sides continue to violate Cease Fire Agreement. END 
SUMMARY 
 
Joint Mechanism: Close But not Yet There 
---------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattsker told Ambassador 
March 31 that "good things are happening" on the Joint 
Mechanism proposal.  The two sides, he said, are 
"extraordinarily close" to agreement, but (in a bit of a 
non-sequitor) the discussions are "dragging on."   The only 
thing remaining is the "off shore issue," referring to the 
question of who will control activities offshore.  Brattsker 
said that he had told both sides they might want to just drop 
that issue entirely.  The Tigers had already done some "off 
shore" work in their areas, like rebuilding of jetties.  They 
were afraid this work could be jeopardized if they did not 
have a clause, but Brattsker thought that was not so. 
 
3.  (C) Brattsker said that Special Envoy Eric Solheim had 
met with LTTE Political Chief Tamilchelvan in Oslo on Monday. 
 Tamilchelvan indicated the LTTE had some concerns, and that 
he needed to talk to Prabhakaran.  Brattsker speculated that 
this might not be possible until after the Sinhala/Tamil New 
Year on April 13-14. Hence no agreement until after then. 
 
4.  (C) Brattsker also said that he needed to be sure that 
President Kumaratunga was as ready to go ahead as she had 
been the last time he saw her.  He was having dinner with 
Kumaratunga that same night and would get a sense then.  He 
speculated that she might need "at least two weeks" to get 
her political house in order before signing an agreement.  He 
said that Kumaratunga now might be planning to handle the JVP 
problem by stating that she was concluding the agreement 
using her powers as President and the mandate she received in 
the Presidential election of 1999.  This would distance it 
from the current Government, elected in 2004, of which the 
JVP is a part.  (This strategy was front-paged in one local 
daily today.) 
 
Cease Fire Problems 
------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Brattsker said he continues to be concerned about the 
Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), where there were problems on both 
sides.  The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had tried 
five or six times to visit the new LTTE airstrip and had been 
turned down, which violated the CFA.  On the other side, the 
SLMM had visited three times the camp in Government territory 
of LTTE breakaway Karuna, which had been reported in local 
media.  The SLMM even had a photo of a GSL soldier standing 
right outside the camp, and a Sri Lankan Army camp was only 
500 meters distant.  The existence of this camp was also a 
clear violation of the CFA.  Brattsker also said it was 
disturbing that President Kumaratunga repeatedly stated that 
she had given the military orders not to support Karuna.  The 
implication was that she was either a liar or did not have 
control over the military.  Either case was disturbing. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
6.  (C) Brattsker and the Norwegians continue to push ahead 
doggedly.  What he appeared to imply is that both sides are 
close, but that each has to make sure it has political cover, 
and this will take some time.  As a result, neither side 
seems to be in a great hurry. 
LUNSTEAD