US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO779

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000779 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D, INR/R/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA 
SA/INS(FOR JWALLER); SA/PD (FOR LJIRWIN, LSCENSNY, 
WREINCKENS); SSA/PAB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY:  International "Safety Net" for Sri Lanka's 
Peace Talks 
 
1.  Summary:  The fate of the peace talks, together with 
international efforts to coax the LTTE back to the 
negotiating table, dominated the week's press.  English and 
vernacular headlines chronicled a string of international 
visitors who made their way to the Wanni to encourage the 
LTTE to return to talks.  Predictably, government-owned 
newspapers carried stronger, more positive headlines 
regarding the "safety net" of international involvement in 
the negotiations, while opposition and independent dailies 
focused more on one implication of a continued LTTE absence 
from the peace talks:  loss of donor money.  Frequent 
editorials in the English opposition newspaper focused on 
international involvement as" surreptitious attempts . to 
compromise the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri 
Lanka to keep the peace process on the track," although one 
government-owned paper weighed in on this theme as well. 
Early editorial comment in independent Tamil papers was 
concerned with the continuation of the peace talks, but 
later editorials became more outcome-oriented.  Considering 
Assistant Secretary Rocca's impending visit, media coverage 
of international involvement in the peace process will 
likely continue over the weekend and into next week.  End 
Summary. 
 
----- 
Headlines. 
------ 
 
2.  Throughout the week, all major newspapers chronicled 
the activities of international visitors involved in re- 
starting the peace talks.  The independent Tamil weekly, 
VIRAKESARI, ran a representative headline (5/04): 
"Important meetings this week in Vanni regarding the Tiger 
stand in peace talks -- Bala, leaders of LTTE, diplomats 
will take part."  The DAILY MIRROR (independent English 
daily) continued on 5/5 with "Norway, Japan to try to 
restart peace bid."  And two days later an independent 
Sinhala daily, LAKBIMA, headlined "`Safety net of the 
International Community supports us strongly' - says PM in 
the parliament." 
 
3. Predictably, government-owned newspapers carried 
stronger, more positive headlines regarding international 
involvement.  On 5/4 the SUNDAY OBSERVER (government-owned 
English weekender) headlined "Peace activities shift to 
Colombo & Vanni," and the Tamil weekly, THINAKARAN 
VAARAMANJARI, also government owned, reported "U.S. 
government interested in removing obstacles in peace 
process."  On 5/5 the government-owned Sinhala daily, 
DINAMINA, led with "Akashi, Helgerson, Solheim and Westborg 
here:  Christina Rocca will arrive on 12th, Balasingham 
came yesterday:  a series of vital talks this week between 
GSL and LTTE."  And the DAILY NEWS (government-owned 
English daily) wrote "Continuation of peace process -- 
diplomatic moves gather momentum" (on 5/6) and "Global 
Community will ensure resumption of peace process - PM" (on 
5/7). 
 
4. Opposition and independent papers focused on the 
implications of a continued LTTE absence from the peace 
talks.  Under "UK to close doors for Bala if LTTE does not 
attend peace talks," the independent Sinhala LANKADEEPA 
SUNDAY wrote (on 5/4):  "Diplomatic sources say that Anton 
Balasingham would be allowed to remain in the UK, which has 
also listed LTTE as a terrorist organization, only if the 
LTTE decides to attend the peace talks."  Concerned with 
donor money, the opposition Sinhala daily, DIVAINA, 
headlined:  "`Tokyo aid Conference vital for LTTE as well 
for GSL - Yasushi Akashi."  And DIVAINA's English-medium 
sister, the ISLAND, continued the theme on 5/8 with "Global 
community will not pump funds if LTTE skips Tokyo confab - 
Solheim." 
 
5. Late in the week, newspapers began to focus on the 
results of international pressure to re-start the peace 
talks.  The independent Tamil daily, VIRAKESARI, headlined: 
"'Talks only after the government implements the decisions 
taken at talks' - Prabhakaran informs Japanese Special 
Envoy Akashi."  "Norway delegates speak plain words to 
LTTE" said the government-owned Sinhala daily, DINAMINA. 
And on 5/8 the independent Tamil daily, THINAKKURAL, wrote 
"'It is the duty of the International Community to get us a 
proper reply from the government' - Prabhakaran tells 
Akashi at Kilinochchi," and "President unhappy that the 
international community did not assure the continuation of 
the talks without interruption." 
 
----- 
Editorials. 
----- 
6. Several editorials complained international involvement 
was a threat to Sri Lanka's sovereignty. 
- Under "Don't barter sovereign rights," the ISLAND 
(opposition English daily) argued:  "a few select ministers 
and top government officials along with representatives of 
foreign nations . cannot barter away the sovereign rights 
of the people of this country."  Excerpts: 
"Right now Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen 
and Special envoy of the Japanese government, Yasushi 
Akashi are in the Wanni attempting to negotiate on an issue 
which is essentially an internal affair of Sri Lanka over 
which the country is rapidly losing control. 
"We have over the years, by permitting and inviting foreign 
powers to come into the issue of quelling a terrorist 
uprising internationalized the issue to an extent that the 
sovereignty of this nation is being threatened by those 
whom we have invited as' facilitators' and `peace keepers'. 
".Issues involving the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan nation 
are for the Sri Lankan State to decide and are no concern 
of foreigners. The president may keep mum and the prime 
minister may acquiesce but such rights of the nation cannot 
be surrendered in such a manner. 
"All those involved in these so called peace negotiations 
should realize that a few select ministers and top 
government officials along with representatives of foreign 
nations-- irrespective of their power-cannot barter away 
the sovereign rights of the people of this country." 
- Under the headline, "Meeting the Challenges of 
Peacemaking," government-owned English DAILY NEWS, said 
that, despite international assistance, "the Lankan parties 
cannot shun the basic parameters of finding a solution." 
Excerpts: 
"True, we are receiving the constructive and amiable 
assistance of foreign parties such as the Norwegian, 
Japanese and US Governments and the majority of Lankans are 
warmly appreciative of this help but the final peace could 
be evolved by only the Lankan parties involved. 
"It is the Lankans themselves who would be finally bearing 
the burden of working out a power-sharing arrangement which 
would be fair by all our communities. Our foreign friends 
are only facilitators. This fact should be faced squarely 
and remembered constantly. 
"However, the Lankan parties cannot shun the basic 
parameters of finding a solution: power-sharing within an 
united Sri Lanka where every community could live in 
dignity." 
- Under "Wiles of Tiger allies" the ISLAND complained, "we 
see surreptitious attempts being made to compromise 
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country to 
keep the peace process on the track."  Excerpts: 
"The Norway-led monitors seem to be never tired of working 
overtime to sanitise LTTE terrorism. They are at present 
labouring hard to elevate the so-called Sea Tigers to the 
level of the Sri Lanka Navy under the pretext of preventing 
clashes at sea. 
"The peace process, we were told at the beginning was to 
protect the country. But today we see surreptitious 
attempts being made to compromise sovereignty and 
territorial integrity of the country to keep the peace 
process on the track." 
"It is imperative that the President and the Prime Minister 
put the country before the peace process. The best way they 
can protect the national interest, which is under threat, 
is to throw out the whole caboodle of terror-allies in 
monitors' garb." 
And a third ISLAND editorial, "The choice:  Sovereignty of 
the nation or the `Peace Process,'" noted that 
"Representatives of mighty nations" must be told to respect 
Sri Lanka's integrity.  Excerpts: 
"President Kumaratunga, the opposition and the people 
cannot permit the government to cave into the demands of 
the terrorists and endanger the lives of about 50,000 
soldiers in the north as well as the existence of the 
security establishments. Yesterday, in parliament former 
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar made a scathing attack 
on the government and pointed out in detail to the steady 
erosion of the sovereignty of the country since the signing 
of the Ceasefire Agreement. 
"The point has now been reached for the government to 
choose between safeguarding the sovereignty of the nation 
and saving the `Peace Process'. Prime Minister 
Wickremasinghe, President Kumaratunga, the parliament and 
the people have no choice because the 'peace Process' is in 
the interests of the nation and the nation cannot be 
sacrificed for what ever cause. 
"Representatives of mighty nations now pushing the 
government on the HSZ must be firmly told that protection 
of the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan nation supersedes all 
other interests." 
7. Editorial comment from Tamil newspapers was more 
positive. 
 
- Under the headline  "Talks to resume talks," the 
independent THINAKKURAL questioned "in what way are the 
talks going to proceed?"  Excerpts: 
 
"Even with Norway, Japan and some other members of the 
international communities engaging in putting the talks on 
track, they have failed to arrive at a firm decision. 
 
"At the moment the talks should be solely based on resuming 
talks. If 
Helgesen, Akashi, Bala, Professor Peiris, Milinda Moragoda 
and others have to fly from country to country to get out 
this situation, what and what will take place to bring 
lasting peace." 
 
- Under the headline "Peace talks again," the independent 
Tamil daily, VIRAKESARI, noted that international 
shepherding of the peace process is a "good sign for the 
resumption of talks."  Excerpts: 
 
"There were requests from all corners that the talks should 
resume.  India, which abstained from taking part in any 
talks, made a u-turn and said that the talks should resume 
under any circumstance. Pressure built up not only from the 
international community but also internally that the talks 
should resume. 
 
"Soon talks will take place in Vanni with LTTE leader V. 
Prabhakaran to clear the obstacles and resume peace talks. 
LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham, Norwegian Deputy 
Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen, Norwegian Special envoy 
Eric Solheim, Former Norwegian Ambassador for Sri Lanka Jon 
Westborg and Japanese Special envoy Ysushi Akashi will 
participate in the discussions." 
 
"All these are good signs for the resumption of talks." 
 
- Finally, an editorial in the independent Tamil daily, 
VIRAKESARI reminded the LTTE that it has "a duty to perform 
in rebuilding North and East."  Excerpts: 
 
"Liberation Tigers have its duty to perform in rebuilding 
North and East.  Oslo Conference has given the Liberation 
Tigers this responsibility and has expanded the role of the 
international community. 
 
"Prime Minister had clarified that the international 
community will support only if steps are taken to develop 
not only North and East but the whole country." 
 
Wills