US embassy cable - 02COLOMBO2147

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 002147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS FROM AMBASSADOR WILLS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  11-19-12 
TAGS: AMGT, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 162 (11-19-02) 
 
 
Classified by Ambassador Wills, Reasons 1.5 (b, d) 
 
CONTENTS:  JAPAN'S YOSIKAWA VISITS KILINOCHI 
           GL PEIRIS ON BALASINGHAM'S WISH TO VISIT NORTH 
           NORTH AMERICA 
 MORAGODA-DEPSEC TV INTERVIEW IN OSLO? 
           DEALING WITH THE LTTE 
           DRAFT PRESS GUIDANCE:  OK TO USE? 
           ICC WAIVER 
 
Japan's Yosikawa Visit's Kilinochi 
---------------------------------- 
 
1.  (SBU) The Japanese Ambassador rang the Ambassador 
last night to report on his and Mr. Yosikawa's attendance 
at the first Subcommittee meeting on North-East 
Reconstruction.  The atmosphere was "positive and 
friendly" but the details of how the Subcommittee and 
related North-East Reconstruction Fund -- NERF -- will 
work are still unclear.  Ambassador Otsuka said he and 
Yosikawa told the LTTE that donors needed maximal 
flexibility to implement programs and donate funds but he 
wasn't sure the LTTE got it.  There apparently will be a 
Secretariat for the Subcommittee -- bureaucracies do 
 
SIPDIS 
indeed proliferate -- staffed with an LTTE Director and 
two Deputy Directors, one from the GSL and one 
representing "minorities."  The Japanese role in the 
Subcommittee has been defined as "Principal Advisor", so 
that will be Mr. Akashi's title.  Akashi, by the way, 
will be coming to the Oslo meeting. (FO) 
 
Peiris on Balasingham's Wish to Visit North America 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
2.  (C) The Ambassador lunched with GL at Parliament on 
Saturday.  Among many other topics discussed, GL raised a 
"sensitive" matter relating to the LTTE's Anton 
Balasingham.  It seems Balasingham wants to visit Canada 
and the US to "consult with the diaspora."  The 
Ambassador replied that Milinda had raised this with the 
DepSec in September and had been told the USG would check 
into it.  EAW added that the checking was still going on 
but was unlikely to lead to approval for a Balasingham 
visit to the US until the Tigers are much closer to 
coming off the FTO than they are now (the Ambassador 
actually said - with typically mellifluous southern 
elegance - "that dog don't hunt".  Peiris related that he 
had raised this possibility with the Canadian Foreign 
Minister when he was in Ottawa last month.  The Foreign 
Minister replied that Canada would be willing to let in 
Balasingham but was concerned lest its population think 
the GOC and the USG have different approaches to FTO's. 
According to Peiris, the Canadian asked the GSL to 
intervene with the USG to give a signal to Ottawa that we 
don't mind if the Canadians give Balasingham a visa.  The 
Ambassador said he would pass this along to Washington. 
SA may want to alert the DepSec to the possibility the 
GOC may be raising this with him directly.  (FO) 
 
Moragoda-Depsec TV Interview in Oslo? 
------------------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) Milinda rang the Ambassador from Tokyo to find 
out whether he can do his long-sought TV interview with 
the Depsec while they are in Olso next week.  Can SA 
please check with Kara B to get an answer?  (FO) 
 
DEALING WITH THE LTTE 
--------------------- 
 
4. (C) We would urge a clear authoritative edict prior to 
Oslo from the lawyers at Justice on precisely what 
dealings US officials may have with the LTTE.  (FO) 
 
DRAFT PRESS GUIDANCE:  OK TO USE? 
--------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Is the "if-asked" press guidance we provided in 
Colombo 2142 OK for us to use (if asked, natch)? 
(FO) 
 
ICC WAIVER 
---------- 
 
6. (SBU) MFA is closed today for a local holiday.  We 
will get hold of the ForSec tomorrow and make sure we are 
all working off the same ICC waiver text and set up a 
signing event ASAP. (FO) 
 
 
 
WILLS