US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO475

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000475 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  03-21-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PINS, PINR, CE, NO, JA, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  Sixth round of Sri Lanka-Tamil Tiger peace 
talks set to wrap up on March 21 
 
Ref:  (A) FBIS Reston Va DTG 200609Z Mar 03 
 
-     (B) Colombo 462, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador E. Ashley Wills. 
Reasons: 1.5 (B,D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  The sixth round of GSL-Tamil Tiger 
peace talks are set to wrap on March 21.  Mission will 
provide the Department with the joint press statement 
issued at the end of the talks as soon as it is 
available.  Thus far, the talks have largely focused on 
ceasefire modalities, development assistance, and long- 
term political issues.  Despite initial expectations 
that they would be contentious, the talks seem to have 
been relatively constructive.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) The sixth round of the Norwegian government- 
facilitated peace talks between the Sri Lankan 
government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE) are set to wrap up on March 21.  The talks, which 
began on March 18, in the resort town of Hakone, Japan, 
have, by most accounts, proceeded in a relatively smooth 
and cordial fashion.  As with previous rounds, GSL and 
LTTE negotiators are expected to release a joint press 
statement on the outcome of their talks late March 21, 
Japan time.  Mission will forward the press statement to 
SA/INS as soon as it is available. 
 
3. (C) Per previous reporting (Ref B), the first three 
days of talks have focused largely on ceasefire 
modalities, development assistance, and long-term 
political issues.  The LTTE used the first day of the 
talks (March 18) to condemn the March 10 sinking of one 
its resupply ships by the Sri Lanka Navy (see Ref B re 
the LTTE's position re this incident).  In discussing 
the March 10 incident, the two sides also reviewed 
possible ways to strengthen the February 2002 ceasefire 
agreement.  The second day of talks (March 19) focused 
on development assistance and human rights issues.  The 
development assistance discussion dealt with 
resettlement of displaced persons, and administrative 
and financial matters related to the funneling of 
assistance to the war-torn north and east.  Late on the 
second day, Ian Martin, a former official of Amnesty 
International, presented a human rights "road map" to 
the negotiators.  There was no agreement on the road 
map, which focuses largely on issues related to the 
LTTE, but the two sides agreed to continue to discuss 
it. 
 
4. (C) In the meantime, the focus of the third day of 
talks (March 20) reportedly shifted to long-term 
political issues.  During a meeting with the Ambassador 
(focusing mainly on Iraq), Prime Minister Ranil 
Wickremesinghe stated that the GSL proposed an outline 
regarding long-term political issues to the Tigers. 
(Note:  The PM was not clear on the exact nature of the 
GSL's proposal, but it presumably involved federalism 
ideas for the north/east.)  The LTTE did not respond 
immediately, but promised to review the proposal. 
Wickremesinghe expressed his hope that some sort of 
outline re political issues will be ready by the time of 
the June donor's conference in Tokyo. 
 
5. (U)  (((Note:  On March 21 a number of articles 
appeared in the local press expressing concern that the 
June donor's conference could be overshadowed by events 
in Iraq.  In this regard, Ref A reports that Japan's 
Special Advisor for Sri Lanka Akashi stated that "the 
war against Iraq could cause considerable damage to the 
economy of Sri Lanka and also take away from the 
international attention from the Norwegian-led peace 
bid."))) 
 
6. (C) COMMENT:  Despite initial fears that the sixth 
round of talks would be contentious, all indications are 
that the talks went smoothly and were carried out in a 
cordial manner.  It appears that the LTTE did not want 
to give any ammunition to those who oppose the GSL and 
the peace process in the south.  There is also 
speculation that the LTTE, in behaving well at the 
talks, may be catering to the international community in 
the expectation that it (the LTTE) will receive a great 
deal of aid during the June donor's conference.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
7. (U) Minimize considered. 
 
WILLS