US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO805

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 COLOMBO 000805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR 
E. MILLARD 
 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
 
E.O. 12958:   DECL: 05-13-13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, OTRA, CE 
SUBJECT:  In Sri Lanka visit, A/S Rocca underscores 
support for peace track, urges parties to work together 
 
Refs:  Colombo 787, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador E. Ashley Wills: 
Reasons:  1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  SA A/S Rocca used her May 12 meetings 
with President Kumaratunga, Prime Minister 
Wickremesinghe, and other GSL officials to underline 
strong U.S. support for the peace process.  Noting the 
recent spike in cohabitation tensions, A/S Rocca also 
urged that parties work together in the national 
interest.  Both the president and the prime minister 
stressed their support for the peace track, with the 
president very critical of the Tigers.  Re cohabitation, 
both indicated that they did not want to see an 
escalation in tensions.  A/S Rocca's visit was very 
successful in highlighting strong U.S. support for Sri 
Lanka during this sensitive timeframe.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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A/S Rocca's May 12 Meetings 
--------------------------- 
 
2.  (U) Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs 
Christina Rocca met May 12 with President Chandrika 
Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and 
Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando.  A/S Rocca also had 
tea with key ministers G.L. Peiris and Milinda Moragoda, 
and lunch with a selection of top Tamil politicians and 
think-tank analysts. 
 
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President makes Moderate Sounds 
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3.  (C)  At her meeting with A/S Rocca, President 
Kumaratunga was joined by former foreign minister 
Lakshman Kadirgamar and presidential spokesman Harim 
Peiris.   A/S Rocca began the meeting by underscoring 
strong U.S. support for the peace process, and our hope 
that major parties will pull together to see it through. 
Sri Lanka should be proud that it is a model of conflict 
resolution for South Asia and other regions, she 
emphasized. 
 
4.  (C) President Kumaratunga responded that Sri Lankans 
truly value the assistance of their friends in the 
international community.  Re the peace process, she 
stressed that she strongly supports the government's 
efforts.  That said, she expressed concern that the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have not really 
given up anything substantive in the peace talks, but 
the group has demanded much from the GSL.  The 
international community must press the LTTE on human 
rights issues because the government had already 
surrendered much of its bargaining power and was not 
pressuring the Tigers enough.  Kumaratunga went on to 
assert that the lack of professional, experienced peace 
monitors had been a source of much controversy.  (Note: 
This was a reference to the Norwegian-run Sri Lanka 
Monitoring Mission, "SLMM," which is charged with 
monitoring adherence to the February 2002 ceasefire 
agreement.) 
 
5.  (C) Ambassador Wills took the opportunity to brief 
the president on a recent document drafted by the donor 
community which contained milestones re development 
assistance, including re the observance of human rights 
(see Reftels).  The current plan, he noted, was to 
present the document privately to both sides if and when 
talks resume.  Kumaratunga warned that the current 
actions of the LTTE (e.g., blaming the GSL for delays in 
the talks, highlighting minor issues as major problems) 
are similar to those taken by the group in the past just 
before breaking off talks.  Kumaratunga added that 
Deputy Secretary Armitage and the Ambassador had made 
very refreshing and helpful statements, which had served 
to reinforce the peace process. 
 
6.  (C) Turning to the tense cohabitation situation, 
Kumaratunga asserted that the current rift over the 
Development Lotteries Board was much ado about nothing. 
(Note:  Per Reftel review of recent events, the 
president tried to take over the lotteries board late 
last week, but the government blocked the move.  Both 
sides are now reviewing next steps in this controversial 
matter.)  She asserted that she had performed a minor 
administrative act to which the government had reacted 
violently and illegally.  Her intent was not to create a 
crisis, she said, only to ensure that lottery proceeds 
were allotted in correct fashion.  The Ambassador 
emphasized that the U.S., first and foremost, saw this 
issue as an internal matter.  The way it was playing 
out, however, raised concerns that the two major parties 
were bickering to the net detriment of the peace 
process.  Kumaratunga asserted that the government had 
made it impossible for cordial cohabitation relations. 
Members of the GSL, for example, did not routinely 
consult or inform her of what was going on, she said. 
 
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PM reviews Peace Process, Cohabitation 
-------------------------------------- 
 
7.  (C) In her meeting with Prime Minister 
Wickremesinghe, A/S Rocca expressed her pleasure at 
returning to Sri Lanka (she had also visited in March 
2002), and assured him of strong and continued U.S. 
support for the peace process.  Re the peace track, the 
PM commented that both the GSL and the LTTE had to look 
long-term.  It would be helpful if they could jointly 
develop a road map with timeframes focused on keeping 
the international community engaged.  A/S Rocca asked 
the PM about the LTTE's current mindset.  The PM replied 
that he viewed the LTTE's recent pullout from the peace 
talks as being the result of the influence of Tiger 
hard-liners, who wanted the LTTE to re-establish control 
over the pace and agenda of the process.  Wickremesinghe 
predicted that the LTTE's desire for funding and 
reconstruction assistance for the north and east would 
lead the group to change its mind and decide to attend 
the June donors conference in Tokyo.  Minister Milinda 
Moragoda, also present at the meeting, added that the 
Tigers' lack of democratic experience was at the root of 
the peace process' current difficulties.  Both 
Wickremasinghe and Moragoda expressed appreciation for 
consistent U.S. support for the peace track. 
Wickremesinghe reacted positively to a suggestion by 
Ambassador Wills for a possible "clear-the-air," low-key 
meeting between the GSL and the Tigers prior to Tokyo 
(if the LTTE decides to attend the conference). 
 
8.  (C) Expressing her concern about the recent spike in 
cohabitation stresses, A/S Rocca asked PM Wickremesinghe 
for his view of the evolving situation.  The PM saw only 
two possible resolutions to the dispute over who 
controls the lotteries board:  (1) talks with President 
Kumaratunga that would provide her some sort of face- 
saving cover to rescind her order taking over the board; 
or (2) escalating cohabitation tensions that would help 
no one.  The prime minister added that he personally 
remained optimistic about a resolution to the dispute 
over the lotteries board, though he could not discount 
the likelihood of further cohabitation tensions. 
Wickremesinghe said his greatest fear was having the 
LTTE view this situation as a weakening of the 
government's resolve and power, hindering its efforts to 
achieve a negotiated settlement. 
 
9.  (C) In regard to international matters, A/S Rocca 
and PM Wickremasinghe exchanged views about the GSL's 
recent proposal to form some sort of group that would 
counter the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).  The PM said the 
government wanted to form a group of moderate, 
developing countries that would work within the UN 
system on key international issues.  A/S Rocca said the 
U.S. was very interested in the proposal and had 
compiled a preliminary list of possible countries that 
might join, including several from each geographical 
region.  A/S Rocca asked what the GSL's next steps would 
be regarding the proposal, and how it anticipated its 
role vis-a-vis other voting blocs in the UN. 
Wickremesinghe, who referred to the possible grouping as 
"the axis of hope," stated that the GSL was still 
reviewing how to handle it.  The plan as of this point 
was to float the idea publicly after the June donors 
conference in Tokyo and perhaps formally announce it 
during the UNGA in September.  (Note:  That evening at 
dinner Minister Morogoda asked for names of individuals 
from the countries we think might be interested in this 
proposal, saying that once he has the list he will 
contact them personally.)  (Note:  Wickremesinghe also 
commented that the GSL would like to have meetings with 
President Bush and high-level U.S. officials on the 
margins of UNGA.)  At the close of the meeting, A/S 
Rocca expressed deep appreciation to the Sri Lankan 
government for its November 2002 signing of an 
Article 98 waiver of International Criminal Court (ICC) 
jurisdiction with the U.S. 
 
---------------------- 
Tea with Key Ministers 
---------------------- 
 
10.  (C) In her meeting with G.L. Peiris and Milinda 
Moragoda, A/S Rocca asked about the status of the peace 
process.  Both ministers seemed somewhat optimistic that 
the LTTE would, in the end, return to the peace talks 
and decide to attend the June donors conference.  Peiris 
stressed that the government was working hard to give 
the LTTE the assurances the group needed for it to 
return to the talks, especially in regard to the 
provision of funds for humanitarian assistance in the 
north and east.  Morogoda underscored the importance of 
continuing to work with the LTTE.  He admitted that it 
was not easy, but he thought the LTTE could be convinced 
to go in the right direction via constant consultation 
and explanation. 
 
11.  (C) On the subject of the latest cohabitation 
tensions, Minister Peiris claimed that the GSL had a 
strong legal case in that the president had not 
consulted with the PM regarding the attempt to take over 
the lotteries board.  The Sri Lankan Constitution 
required such consultation, he stressed.  Moreover, in 
taking such a rash action, she was losing the political 
fight, he claimed.  All in all, Peiris said he thought 
the current situation could be worked out without more 
escalation.  He allowed, however, that cohabitation ties 
would remain tense and subject to periodic crises, which 
he said stemmed from the president's irascibility and 
sense of entitlement.  The government had information, 
for example, that the president might be using the 
lotteries board matter as a "test" before trying to 
replace the interior minister, but it was not clear, he 
noted. 
 
------------------------- 
Brief Meeting with the FM 
------------------------- 
12.  (C) In her brief meeting with Foreign Minister 
Fernando, A/S Rocca provided a readout on her recent 
visit to India and Pakistan.  FM Fernando commented that 
peace in the South Asia was critical to Sri Lanka, and 
it would be positive for the region if the Indians and 
Pakistanis continued to work to lower tensions.  Foreign 
Secretary Nihal Rodrigo, who was also in the meeting, 
 
SIPDIS 
noted India's nervousness due to Pakistan's chairing of 
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation 
(SAARC).  A/S Rocca replied that the U.S. was watching 
the situation closely and continued to hope that SAARC 
could help bridge differences.  A/S Rocca remarked that 
Sri Lanka was an excellent model for the rest of the 
international community, including South Asia, and she 
urged the government to persevere in the peace track. 
Fernando replied that the government was committed to 
the peace process, and hoped that the LTTE would soon 
return to the talks and come to the June donors 
conference.  Regarding the latest re cohabitation, 
Fernando remarked that he thought the situation could be 
worked out without a major escalation in tensions.  He 
averred that the U.S. and others in the international 
community could play a role in smoothing the waters. 
(Note:  The FM was also the host of a May 12 dinner in 
honor of A/S Rocca.  Muslim leader Raul Hakeem, chief of 
the Peace Secretariat Bernard Goonetilleke, and other 
key GSL ministers and officials attended the dinner.) 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Lunch with Tamil MPs, NGO Representatives 
----------------------------------------- 
 
13.  (C) The May 12 lunch with several Tamil National 
Alliance (TNA) MPs and representatives of local think- 
tanks and NGOs was a lively affair.  Senior TNA MP R. 
Sampathan asserted that the LTTE was raising legitimate 
complaints re the delivery of humanitarian assistance 
and the size of the security zones in the Jaffna 
District.  Until the LTTE had satisfaction re these 
matters, they would not return to negotiations, 
according to Sampathan.  When queried, TNA MP G. 
Ponnambalam replied that if the Tigers did not attend 
the planned June donors conference, then the conference 
should be postponed until the LTTE's participation could 
be assured.  Vigorously countering the pro-LTTE trend of 
these comments, Kethesh Loganathan, a local think-tank 
analyst who is Tamil, said there were many views in the 
Tamil community and the LTTE had no right to claim to 
speak for all Tamils.  National Unity Alliance (NUA) MP 
Ferial Ashraff, a Muslim, complained about LTTE actions 
in the east, noting that the group continued to harass 
and extort money from Muslims.  Ambassador Wills noted 
the copious evidence that the Tigers were assassinating 
opponents in the Tamil community.  In response to these 
points, Sampathan replied that the LTTE had a lot of 
growing up to do before it would become a genuine 
political organization, but the group was slowly moving 
in the right direction. 
 
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COMMENT 
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14.  (C) A/S Rocca's visit was very successful in 
highlighting to interlocutors strong U.S. support for 
Sri Lanka and its people during this sensitive 
timeframe.  Both the president and the prime minister, 
for example, tried to appear reasonable in discussing 
the cohabitation situation with A/S Rocca.  This tone of 
moderation seems to have worn off a bit on both sides in 
that the cohabitation situation does not appear as acute 
now as it did previously (though it could still 
escalate).  Moreover, during a difficult timeframe for 
the peace process, the Assistant Secretary was able to 
underscore to the GSL our support for its policies while 
noting our concerns about LTTE behavior.  Overall, as 
exemplified by A/S Rocca's latest visit, Sri Lankans 
clearly appreciate continued high-level U.S. interest, 
seeing such engagement as vital in helping return the 
country to long-term peace and security.  END COMMENT. 
 
15. (U) Minimize considered. 
 
WILLS