US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO284

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR A/S ROCCA; ALSO FOR SA/INS AND D 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, PINR, PARM, CE, UK, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: HMG ON LTTE'S PROSCRIPTION UNDER UK LAW 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR E. ASHLEY WILLS.  REASONS 1.5 B, D. 
 
1.  (C) I met for an hour today (2/19) with HMG's very able 
High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Stephen Evans.  Evans came to 
see me under instructions from London to discuss next steps 
in (1) moving the LTTE toward a formal renunciation of 
violence and (2) attaching conditionality to loans and grants 
announced at the coming Tokyo Conference so as to encourage 
good behavior by the Tigers.  By classified email, I am 
forwarding to SA and SA/INS a copy of the FCO cable of 
instructions to Evans, which he gave to me. 
 
2.  (C) This cable should be handled very discreetly both 
because he wasn't authorized to pass a copy to the USG and 
also because in it FCO makes a surprising admission, namely 
that were the LTTE to challenge its proscription under the 
UK's 2000 Terrorism law, HMG reckons that the Tigers would 
win and would be de-proscribed.  I asked Evans whether the 
FCO thinks the LTTE will in fact challenge its proscription 
and he said he did not know. 
 
3.  (C) We compared notes about what the LTTE needs to do to 
get itself de-proscribed in our countries.  It appears that 
we and the Brits agree that the Tigers need to make a public 
statement permanently renouncing terrorism at least and 
preferably violence of any type and then follow that 
statement with a "decent period" -- presumably a period of at 
least a year or two -- when its deeds match its verbal 
commitments.  It appears that HMG is a bit uncertain, as are 
we, about the methodology to be used in pushing a move to 
de-proscribe through its bureaucracy.  As you will see from 
the cable from the FCO, the UK has the further complication 
of not getting crosswise with Article 14 of the European 
Convention on Human Rights. 
 
4.  (C) On conditioning aid, we also agreed that it was much 
to be sought in whatever assistance that we and other donors 
announce in Tokyo.  We even thought it prudent to encourage 
the Norwegians to talk to the Tigers ASAP about the kinds of 
steps they could take prior to Tokyo to encourage donor 
generosity and also to calm southern Sinhalese anxieties 
about LTTE intentions.  These confidence-building steps by 
the LTTE could include setting milestones for its 
administration of the North and East regarding transparency 
and respect for human rights; permitting local elections and 
allowing non-LTTE parties to participate therein; improving 
accountability regarding the taxes and other fees the LTTE 
collects/extorts so that the Tamils (and we too) know how 
their money is being spent; and introducing such 
security-related measures as phased disarmament, putting 
their long-range weapons under international supervision, etc. 
 
5.  Comment:  Evans and I run into one another often and 
consult closely on peace-related matters.  It would be useful 
for us and HMG to agree on next steps for the international 
community because this will make it easier to get our EU and 
Japanese pals to adopt consistent positions as we 
collectively apply pressure to the two parties to the Sri 
Lankan conflict. 
WILLS