US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO959

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O.  12958:  DECL:  06/04/13 
TAGS: CE, MV, AGMT, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 85  (06-04-03) 
 
Classified by Ambassador Wills, Reasons 1.5 (b, d) 
 
CONTENTS:  AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH JVP 
 
AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH JVP 
------------------------- 
1.  (C) The Ambassador met with JVP General Secretary 
Tilvin Silva and senior MP Vijitha Herath in his 
office earlier today (June 4).  The discussion took 
place in a positive atmosphere, with the JVP members' 
expressing a desire to develop a discourse with the 
USG, even if they did not always agree with USG 
policies.  The Ambassador kicked off the meeting by 
expressing concern with the JVP's stance re the peace 
process and economic reform.  When queried on the 
peace process, Silva (who spoke almost exclusively for 
the JVP side) said his party did not see the LTTE's 
actions during this ceasefire/peace process period as 
sincere, but understood that a military solution to 
the conflict was out of the question.  Silva further 
said that the JVP favored negotiations and would 
support devolution if favored by a majority of the Sri 
Lankan people. 
 
2.  (C) The JVP insisted on explaining the group's 
economic policy views.  Silva commented that the party 
supported international trade and foreign investment, 
but only when Sri Lanka had a strong national economy 
so as not to imperil either its own or its trading 
partners' economies(!?).  Finally, Silva commented 
that the timeframe for a SLFP-JVP alliance was perhaps 
one to two months down the road.  (Note:  Colombo 859 
indicated that the probable SLFP-JVP alliance was much 
more imminent than that.)  Silva said the JVP's 
desire, if the group gained power, was to deal with 
the major issues of the day, rather than revamp the 
government system.  With the JVP taking a relatively 
moderate tack in the meeting, the Ambassador praised 
the JVP on two fronts:  mastery of parliamentary 
procedure and respect for democratic institutions; and 
outstanding record of transparency and lack of 
corruption.  Silva and Herath responded warmly to 
these comments.  (Note:  Both Silva and Herath 
understood English, but responded in Sinhala through a 
translator.)  (POL) 
 
 
WILLS