US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1106

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001106 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O.  12958:  DECL: 06-24-13 
TAGS: AMGT, CE, MV, Political Parties, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 95  (06-24-03) 
 
 
Classified by Donald A. Camp, Charge d'Affaires, 
Reasons:  1.5 (b,d) 
 
CONTENTS:  CHARGE MEETS WITH FOREIGN SECRETARY 
-          PRESIDENT'S PARTY HOLDS ANNUAL CONVENTION 
-          PRO-TIGER DEMONSTRATION PLANNED FOR JAFFNA 
 
CHARGE MEETS WITH FOREIGN SECRETARY 
----------------------------------- 
1.  (C) Charge Don Camp called on Foreign Secretary Nihal 
Rodrigo today (June 24).  The Foreign Secretary thanked 
the US for its continued support re the peace process and 
for D's strong remarks at the recent Tokyo donors 
conference.  He said the GSL had the same sentiments as 
the US re resuming direct talks versus trading indirect 
communications with the LTTE.  Regarding a June 24 
TamilNet report, which we review in a front-channel 
today, Rodrigo thought the Tigers would wait for a solid 
government announcement re an interim administration 
before returning to the talks.  In regard to the PM's 
visit to London, Rodrigo said the GSL's objectives were 
to keep Britain informed about the peace process, and to 
discuss visa and repatriation issues. 
 
2.  (C) Charge delivered a dipnote to the Foreign 
Secretary re the non-surrender agreement (Jim Waller/Joe 
 
SIPDIS 
Novak 06-21-03 class email) officially noting the USG's 
entry into force of the accord.  Rodrigo responded that 
the Cabinet had approved the agreement and it was 
currently being cleared by appropriate ministers as a 
formality.  He expected another couple of weeks before an 
official GSL note was sent to us confirming the accord's 
entry into force in Sri Lanka. 
 
3.  (C) Please see our front-channel cable tomorrow 
(June 25) on the Foreign Secretary's and Additional 
Secretary Sarala Fernando's comments on SAARC and its 
 
SIPDIS 
upcoming foreign secretaries meeting.  (POL) 
 
PRESIDENT'S PARTY HOLDS ANNUAL CONVENTION 
----------------------------------------- 
4.  (SBU) FYI.  On June 22, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party 
(SLFP), the major faction in the Opposition People's 
Alliance (PA) coalition, held their annual convention 
with President Kumaratunga, her brother Anura 
Bandaranaike, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse, and 
former Dep. Defense Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte as 
headliners.  (Note:  As cited in Colombo 1079, Ratwatte 
was denied bail from charges stemming from election day 
violence in 2001 and attended the June 22 conference only 
on special permission from the courts.)  Press reports 
from the one-day meeting focused heavily on party 
comments re the expected SLFP-JVP linkup (See Colombo 
859, and previous).  The president stated that, "the two 
parties have agreed on a practical and conceptual agenda 
to rebuild the country." 
 
5.  (SBU) Re the peace process, the president also used 
the forum to complain that the GSL was letting the Sri 
Lankan military grow weak, when it should be strengthened 
vis-a-vis the LTTE.  (POL) 
 
PRO-TIGER DEMONSTRATION PLANNED FOR JAFFNA 
------------------------------------------- 
6.  (C) FYI.  A large-scale pro-LTTE demonstration is 
scheduled for June 27 in Jaffna.  Called "Pongu Tamil" 
(translation: "Rising Tamil") by the LTTE and its 
supporters, the Tigers sponsored several of these rallies 
around the island early last year when the peace process 
was just beginning.  (POL) 
 
CAMP