US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO898

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000898 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D, INR/MR, I/RW. I/REC; PA 
SA/INS (FOR JWALLER); SA/PD (FRO LJIRWIN, LSCENSNY, 
WREINCKENS); SSA/PAB 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY: Armitage to Attend Tokyo Conference 
on Sri Lanka Reconstruction 
 
 
1.  Summary:  On 5/23 Washington announced that Deputy 
Secretary Armitage would attend the Tokyo Conference on 
 
SIPDIS 
reconstruction for Sri Lanka.  Post issued a similar press 
release to local media on 5/24.  Independent and 
government-owned television stations heralded Armitage's 
decision in all languages.  English and vernacular coverage 
of the announcement was heavily covered in Sri Lankan 
weekend newspapers.  One English opposition paper commented 
on US and international involvement in Tokyo (5/25), 
"Obviously if the world community did not believe that 
there was a genuine possibility of working out a durable 
peace here, they would not be devoting their time, energy 
and money in backing the effort."  End summary. 
 
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2.  Television. 
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Independent and government-owned television stations 
heralded Armitage's decision to attend the Tokyo Conference 
in English, Sinhala and Tamil newscasts (5/24). 
 
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3.  Headlines. 
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English and vernacular coverage of Armitage's announcement 
was heavy in Sri Lankan weekend newspapers.  Opposition 
English daily ISLAND scooped on 5/24 with, "US will attend 
Tokyo conference." Government-owned Sinhala daily DINAMINA, 
headlined (5/25), "`Japan Aid Conference to be held as 
scheduled' - American State Department."  Government-owned 
Sinhala weekly SILUMINA reported (5/25), "'Go ahead with 
Japan Aid Conference'-says America," while state-owned 
Tamil weekly, THINAKARAN VAARAMANJARI ran a stronger 
headline (5/25), "`Irreparable loss to Sri Lanka if the 
Tokyo Conference does not take place'- Richard Armitage." 
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4.  Editorial Comment. 
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On 5/25, under the headline, "The Tigers and Tokyo," 
opposition English weekly ISLAND SUNDAY commented on U.S. 
and international involvement in Tokyo: "Obviously if the 
world community did not believe that there was a genuine 
possibility of working out a durable peace here, they would 
not be devoting their time, energy and money in backing the 
effort." The editor also observed, "If the Tigers really 
feel for their people, their duty lies in maximizing 
foreign assistance that can be raised for reconstructing 
and repairing the war devastation in both the North and the 
East."  Excerpts: 
 
"Whether the news from Washington and Tokyo that the major 
donor conference to be hosted in mid-June by the Japanese 
government will be held regardless of LTTE participation 
will nudge the Tigers to abandon their hard line and attend 
the meeting remains to be seen. There is no doubt that the 
absence of the LTTE from this meeting, showcased to both 
Sri Lanka and the world as an event where the pledging of 
some serious money is assured, will rob the event of some 
of its glamour. But it is not going to scuttle it 
altogether as the LTTE, now playing a dangerous game of 
brinkmanship, seems to expect. This became unmistakably 
clear on Friday. 
"The Tigers understand international pressure very well. 
That, together with the war weariness of the people they 
claim to represent, is what encouraged them in the first 
place to sign the cease-fire agreement and sit at the 
negotiating table with Colombo's representatives. 
"The U.S. State Department said on Friday that Deputy 
Secretary Armitage was attending the Tokyo meeting. In 
 
SIPDIS 
language that was clearly unambiguous, the State 
Department's spokesman repeated the dates - June 9 and 10 - 
and the venue adding that Armitage looked forward to 
discussing reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance to 
Sri Lanka at the conference. The high ranking official was 
quoted saying that this event was important for the 
international community, enabling it to "demonstrate its 
solid support for the peace process and its full commitment 
to contribute to the reconstruction and development of all 
regions of the country, including the North and East, which 
have been devastated by nearly 20 years of conflict." 
"Washington intends to back up its statement with letters 
to some 60 countries about the importance of the Tokyo 
meeting and the need for their attendance and support. 
Obviously if the world community did not believe that there 
was a genuine possibility of working out a durable peace 
here, they would not be devoting their time, energy and 
money in backing the effort. That is why the LTTE, seeking 
to extract the last ounce of possible advantage for itself, 
has adopted its present strategy. Given the ease with which 
it extracted other concessions like having Colombo lift its 
proscription on the Tigers and the softening of their 
stance by some countries where the LTTE is outlawed, 
Prabhakaran and Balasingham may well have believed that 
there is more to get. The run-up to Tokyo was obviously the 
best time to grab what they can and that's the way the game 
is now being played. The interim administration for the 
northeast dominated by themselves is clearly the immediate 
objective. 
"The people of Sri Lanka have already enjoyed some benefits 
of peace in the fifteen months since the gun went silent. 
But the economic dividends have been slow in coming. 
Colombo has built up massive expectations that this would 
change post-Tokyo and the signals from abroad tended to 
support that view. Apart from the U.S. position that the 
Tokyo meeting must be held as scheduled, "notwithstanding 
the LTTE's stated position not to participate," the arrest 
in Thailand of some Tiger arms smugglers and the whip 
cracking by the Thai prime minister that followed must also 
send a message to the Tiger hierarchy that they are now 
sailing very close to the wind. 
"Now that it's clear that the Tokyo meeting will be held, 
with or without the LTTE, they must also remember that 
pledges can also get diverted for flood relief in the south 
if they are absent from that forum when how the funds 
pledged will be utilized. Undoubtedly, flood relief too is 
badly needed but rebuilding the infrastructure in the 
northeast will still command greater donor focus if the 
case is properly presented. If the Tigers really feel for 
their people, their duty lies in maximizing foreign 
assistance that can be raised for reconstructing and 
repairing the war devastation in both the North and the 
East. Losing out there by default will be criminal folly." 
 
Wills