From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3955967.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 23.6.2006

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001047
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958:
DECL: 06/23/2016 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PHUM, CE, NO 
SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS RUNNING OUT OF STEAM, EU MONITORS TO LEAVE IN 30 DAYS
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reason 1.5 (d).

1. (C)
SUMMARY: Tigers insist monitors from EU-members states must
leave, give 30-day window for transition. Future of the
monitoring mission now extremely problematic, Norwegians will
discuss it with other Nordics on June 28. Tigers upset about
their treatment at Colombo airport while returning from Oslo,
which Norwegians felt violated personal promise from President
Rajapakse. Tigers warn Government to stop air and artillery
attacks or face offensive action. Norwegians have no plans for
future peace initiatives at this point, will concentrate on
future of SLMM. Norwegians more depressed than we have ever
seen them. END SUMMARY.

2. (C)
Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar briefed Co-Chair Chiefs of
Mission June 22. Brattskar had been to LTTE headquarters in
Kilinocchi the previous day to discuss with the Tigers the
future of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), following
the Tiger decision to no longer accept monitors from EU
nations after the EU listed the LTTE as a terrorist
organization. Brattskar said that he had argued strenuously
with the Tigers to continue with the SLMM as currently
constituted, with nationals from non-EU Norway and Iceland,
and from EU members Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Brattskar's
interlocutor, LTTE Political Head Tamilchelvan, adamantly
refused, saying that the "leadership had decided."

3. (C)
Brattskar told the Tigers this would have "immediate and
dramatic consequences" for the work of the SLMM. He asked for
a six month transition period. The Tigers would only agree to
one month. They agreed to start that one-month clock ticking
on June 28, when the SLMM contributor states will meet in
Oslo.

4. (C)
Brattskar said that the next steps would need to be discussed
with the other SLMM members and the Government of Sri Lanka.
As mentioned above, the Nordic countries would meet in Oslo on
June 28. He impressed upon the Tigers the need to guarantee
the safety and security of the monitors, and also of their
local Sri Lankan employees. Brattskar said that the LTTE
demand did not require amending the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA),
since the relevant paragraph said only that SLMM members would
be "recruited from Nordic countries." The two sides had agreed
on which countries in discussions after the CFA was signed.

5. (C)
Brattskar said the future of the SLMM is now uncertain. Norway
and Iceland supply 20 of the current 57 members. A 20-member
mission would simply not be able to do the job, placing the
ceasefire under greater strain. Recruiting new countries
acceptable to both parties to join the mission would be
problematic at best. "Who would want to sign up?" in the
current conditions, Brattskar asked.

6. (C)
Brattskar also said that the LTTE was very upset about the way
their team was treated at the Colombo Airport when they
returned from the recent Oslo meeting. They were made to wait
in the public arrival hall for several hours while they were
processed through immigration and customs. Brattskar said that
this was a violation of a promise that President Rajapaksa had
made personally to Minister Eric Solheim, which in turn had
persuaded the Tigers to attend the Oslo

COLOMBO 00001047 002 OF 002

meeting. (Note: where they refused to meet with the
Government.) It was acceptable to make the Tigers go through
normal entry procedures, Brattskar said; what was not
acceptable was to jeopardize their security by having them
standing in the midst of a large crowd for several hours. The
GSL had also tried to back away from its commitment to return
the LTTE delegation to Kilinocchi by helicopter, but had
eventually given in after intense Norwegian pressure.
Brattskar doubted that the Tigers would agree in the future to
travel through the airport, making the logistics of any future
meetings even more troublesome.

7. (C)
On other matters, Brattskar said that the Tigers continue to
deny that they were responsible for the recent bus attack, but
had asked him to pass a message to the Government that if air
and artillery attacks continued, the Tigers would "take
offensive action."

8. (C)
Brattskar concluded that Norway has to continue as
facilitator, but had no conclusions for the coming months
except that they have a big problem with the SLMM. They don't
see any initiatives to pursue in the current climate.
Brattskar himself was leaving the next day for a month's leave
in Norway--the longest he had been away from the island in his
four-year stint as Ambassador.

9. (C)
COMMENT: The Norwegians or at least Ambassador Brattskar, seem
to have run out of steam, and appear resigned to go into a
passive mode while they sort out the future of the SLMM. This
may be a short-term downturn while they gather their breath,
but we have never seen them so negative in three years here.

LUNSTEAD
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