US embassy cable - 02COLOMBO1699

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001699 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS FROM THE CHARGE 
 
E.O. 12958:   DECL:  09/13/12 
TAGS: AMGT, CE 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 129 (09-13-02) 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE LEWIS AMSELEM.  REASONS 1.5 B, D. 
 
CONTENTS:  REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH 
           TAYLOR/GOOD VISIT 
           ATTEMPTED HIJACKING INVESTIGATION 
           CBK'S HARSH LETTER 
           ICC ARTICLE 98 
           BIG CRICKET TOURNAMENT 
 
REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH 
---------------------------------- 
1.  (C) Try as we might, we have not yet received any Sri 
Lankan or Maldivian government reaction to President 
Bush's speech to UNGA yesterday.  Regarding international 
events, it usually takes both governments time to digest 
things and then develop a response.  They are very, very 
careful and reluctant to stick their necks out.  That 
said, we are pressing them to support our stand re Iraq 
in public, and reported this yesterday front-channel and 
will do so again today. 
 
TAYLOR/GOOD VISIT 
----------------- 
2.  (U) We received the country clearance request for 
David Good and are sending out the clearance cable today. 
Polchief Joe Novak will be control officer.  We look 
forward to his visit (has David been here before?) We 
understand that he will be participating in Amb Taylor's 
program.  (Note:  We assume that Amb Taylor's office will 
be sending out his exact travel info soon.)  Charge sent 
out a cable to Amb Taylor today urging him to visit. 
(POL) 
 
ATTEMPTED HIJACKING INVESTIGATION 
--------------------------------- 
3.  (C) We continue to monitor the investigation into the 
attempted hijacking near the Maldives on 9/9.  We 
received our first troubling indication that those who 
tried to take over the plane might (repeat might) be 
Muslims who were using forged Indian passports (with 
Hindu names).  This raises the possibility of Islamic 
extremism, but it is still just not clear.  Our 
understanding is that the alleged perpetrators remain in 
detention in the Maldives.  DAO is sending out a message 
re his latest findings today and RSO continues to be in 
touch with the Maldivian police re the incident.  (POL) 
 
CBK'S HARSH LETTER 
------------------ 
4.  (C) President Kumaratunga fired off a letter to the 
GSL late yesterday demanding that the government 
negotiating team take a hard-line with the LTTE during 
the upcoming talks.  She demanded that the GSL complain 
about LTTE ceasefire violations, among other things. 
(Note:  Based on what have heard from the Sri Lanka 
Monitoring Mission, there have not in fact been any 
serious violations of the ceasefire of late, although 
there have been some smaller incidents that it is 
reviewing with the parties.)  One of the things 
Kumaratunga is not happy with is that the GSL has 
apparently not acceded to her wish to place a PA rep on 
the negotiating team.  We have spoken to the GSL about 
this matter (just asking them for the facts) and it has 
indicated that putting a PA rep on the team would be 
unwieldy and make the negotiations much more complex.  Of 
course, the LTTE would not accept any meeting with the 
most likely PA rep, former FM Kadirgamar, whom they 
despise as a "turncoat" Tamil.  (POL) 
 
ICC ARTICLE 98 
-------------- 
5.  (SBU) Thanks for your cogent update re the ICC 
Article 98 review.  (POL) 
 
BIG CRICKET TOURNAMENT 
---------------------- 
6.  (U) Just want to flag that there is a huge cricket 
tournament taking place in Colombo that began yesterday 
and will go on for the next ten days.  (Note:  We are not 
sure exactly why, but cricket is like a religion here.) 
All the world's best teams are in town (Australia, India, 
South Africa, etc.).  Sri Lanka clobbered Pakistan last 
night.  The fact that such a big tourney is taking place 
in SL is being taken by many Sri Lankans as another sign 
that their isolation and self-marginalization because of 
the war is gradually abating.  (POL) 
 
AMSELEM