US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1085

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT, EUR/NB 
 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:   DECL:  06-20-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PINS, CE, NO, JA, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  Sri Lankan PM gives conciliatory speech re 
peace process, but Tamil Tigers ask for more 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1078, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Joseph L. Novak, Charge d'Affaires. 
Reasons:  1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  In a June 19 speech, PM Wickremesinghe 
urged the Tigers to return to the peace talks, 
underlining the GSL's willingness to move toward forming 
an interim administrative structure in the north/east. 
In a nearly immediate reaction, the Tigers said they 
wanted to see more details before making any commitments 
re the talks.  Given recent tensions, the current give- 
and-take between the two sides is a net positive.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU) PM'S SPEECH:  Prime Minister Ranil 
Wickremesinghe gave a pre-recorded speech on national TV 
the evening of June 19 dealing with the peace process. 
The speech was given in Sinhala, the language of Sri 
Lanka's majority community, with Tamil-language 
subtitles.  In the approximately 20-minute address, the 
PM, who rarely gives TV speeches, began by providing a 
briefing on the recent Tokyo donors conference, 
emphasizing the international community's support for 
the peace track.  (Note:  An unofficial text of the PM's 
speech has been e-mailed to SA/INS.)  The prime minister 
stressed that the government was in difficult financial 
circumstances, a situation which would be vastly 
improved via the international assistance pledged at 
Tokyo.  (Note:  In making this point, the PM was 
brushing aside criticism from some in the Opposition 
that Sri Lanka would become more indebted due to Tokyo, 
not less -- See Reftels.) 
 
3.  (SBU) REACHING OUT TO THE TIGERS:  Turning to the 
current stalemate in the peace process, the PM was 
conciliatory toward the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE).  Re the LTTE's recent reiteration of its long- 
standing demand for the formation of an interim 
structure in the north/east, the prime minister 
underscored that his government was committed to 
reaching an understanding on this issue.  In this 
regard, the PM stated:  "We plan to establish an interim 
council with the agreement of the LTTE that will 
safeguard the rights of all communities.  We are 
committed to talking with the LTTE to come up with a 
practical solution to draw up this mechanism." 
 
4.  (SBU) Touching again on Tokyo and making a gesture 
to the Tamil community, Wickremesinghe went on to make 
clear that a major focus of international assistance 
would be rehabilitation and reconstruction in the war- 
torn north and east.  Regarding these development 
efforts, the PM said the GSL was committed to ensuring 
LTTE involvement.  On this point, he stated:  "The LTTE 
will be involved in the implementation of development 
work in the north and east.  We expect them to act with 
responsibility in this regard."  Essentially conceding 
that the LTTE complaints in this area were largely 
accurate, the PM said the government had to vastly 
improve its record on assistance delivery, which he said 
was poor. 
 
5.  (SBU) CALLING FOR A RETURN TO TALKS:  The PM said he 
deeply regretted the Tigers' decision not to attend the 
Tokyo conference.  Underscoring this theme of the need 
for Tiger re-engagement in the process, the PM urged the 
group to return to the peace talks, so that issues could 
be worked out face-to-face and not through indirect 
communications.  (Note:  Citing various complaints, the 
LTTE pulled out of the peace talks in late April -- See 
Reftels.) 
 
6.  (SBU) LTTE REACTS IMMEDIATELY:  The Tigers did not 
wait long before responding to the speech.  In remarks 
posted on the pro-LTTE website "TamilNet" late June 19, 
chief Tiger spokesman Anton Balasingham was cited as 
saying that his group wanted more details re the 
government's offer.  TamilNet quoted Balasingham as 
stating: 
 
"He (the prime minister) has only repeated the 
statements he made at the Tokyo donors conference.  This 
statement of intent, as we have already stated, cannot 
be the basis for negotiations...Operating within the 
confines of an entrenched constitution and facing a 
hostile president, Ranil's administration is resistant 
to offer anything substantial in the form of an interim 
administration..." 
 
Balasingham, indicating that the peace track's agenda 
needed to rethought, wrapped up by stating that the LTTE 
would discuss the matter further with the Norwegian 
government facilitators.  (Note:  After a short hiatus 
in contacts, Norwegian and LTTE representatives met on 
June 18 -- See Reftels.) 
 
7.  (C) OTHER REACTION:  Queried about the PM's speech, 
Joseph Pararajahsingham, a pro-LTTE MP for the Tamil 
National Alliance, basically echoed Balasingham's line. 
Pararajahsingham said the prime minister and his 
government had to offer more "detailed" and "concrete" 
information to the LTTE re its interim council proposal. 
In Pararajahsingham's eyes, the PM's comments were 
simply "too vague."  Poloff also called the president's 
office, which said President Kumaratunga had not as of 
yet had any official reaction. 
 
8.  (C) COMMENT:  Given recent tensions, which included 
the sinking of a LTTE ship on June 14 in a confrontation 
with the navy, the current give-and-take between the GSL 
and the LTTE is a net positive.  This, in addition to 
the June 18 meeting between the LTTE and the Norwegians, 
provides some hope that the process may be headed into a 
less rocky period.  That said, it is still too early to 
tell which direction events are headed, especially given 
continued LTTE anger over the ship incident.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
9.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
NOVAK