US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1951

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001951 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KPAO, CE 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA:  SUGGESTED U.S. STATEMENT ON THE 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
 
REF: COLOMBO 1943 
 
1. (SBU) This message conveys Embassy's suggestions for a 
statement by the Department Spokesman after the November 17 
presidential election.  Two versions are provided:  one for 
suggested use in the event of a generally free and fair 
election and another for suggested use in the event of an 
election that monitors deem was substantially flawed.  Under 
either scenario, the language will have to be fine tuned 
according to how events transpire on election day.  The texts 
follow below. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Begin suggested text in the event of free and fair 
elections: 
 
The United States congratulates ----- on his victory in the 
November 17 presidential election and commends the citizens 
of Sri Lanka on holding a successful free and fair 
presidential election.  That so many voters turned out to 
cast their ballot testifies to the strength and vibrancy of 
the democratic process in Sri Lanka.  All Sri Lankans have an 
equal and important stake in the outcome of presidential 
polls, and statements by LTTE-affiliated organizations and 
others claiming the contrary are both unfortunate and untrue. 
 
 
Among the many significant and immediate challenges 
confronting the new President will be the need to strengthen 
the Ceasefire Agreement and bring renewed vigor to the peace 
process to move towards a negotiated solution which will meet 
the aspirations of all Sri Lankans.  The United States looks 
forward to exchanging views with the new President on these 
important topics. 
 
3.  (SBU)  As noted reftel, there is the possibility that, in 
the event of a very narrow margin of victory for Sri Lanka 
Freedom Party candidate Mahinda Rajapakse, EU head monitor 
John Cushnahan may declare the election flawed because of a 
Supreme Court decision requiring voters from LTTE-controlled 
territory in the north and east to travel slightly farther to 
polling stations and making those voters subject to temporary 
police detention if their identity is questioned.  If the 
Election Commissioner does not share Cushnahan's assessment 
(and we suspect he will not, since he is in charge of polling 
facilities nationwide, including the north and east), the 
result could be a "split" decision, with the national 
Election Commission (and possibly local and other 
international monitors) declaring voting to have been 
generally free and fair and the EU monitors declaring the 
contrary.  In our view, an assessment that polling in the 
north and east was flawed solely on the basis of the Supreme 
Court decision omits another key (and likely more decisive) 
factor:  the role of the LTTE in intimidating/discouraging 
voters.  We will watch closely for any official statement by 
EU monitors regarding the election and will advise the 
Department accordingly.  We suggest the following language in 
the event that the EU--but not the national Election 
Commission--declares the election flawed: 
 
The United States congratulates ----- on his victory in the 
November 17 presidential election and commends the millions 
of Sri Lankans who exercised their right to vote on that day. 
 That so many citizens turned out to cast their ballot 
testifies to the strength and vibrancy of the democratic 
process in your country.  All Sri Lankans have an equal and 
important stake in the outcome of presidential polls, and we 
regret that apparent LTTE influence, along with other 
possible factors, depressed voter turnout in some areas of 
the north and east. 
 
Among the many significant and immediate challenges 
confronting the new President will be the need to strengthen 
the Ceasefire Agreement and bring renewed vigor to the peace 
process to move towards a negotiated solution which will meet 
the aspirations of all Sri Lankans.  We look forward to 
exchanging views with the new President on these important 
topics. 
 
End text. 
 
 
LUNSTEAD