From: Aftenposten
Date: 23.6.2004
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001062
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR E.MILLARD
PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2014
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, CE, NO, External Relations, LTTE - Peace Process
SUBJECT: NORWEGIAN PEREGRINATIONS FOR PEACE
REF: COLOMBO 1013 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. Reason 1.5 (b,d).
SUMMARY
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1. (C)
Norwegian visit to Delhi was largely a briefing for the
Indians, who expressed support for Norway and its role in the
peace process. Both GSL and LTTE have asked Norway to continue
to try to find a formula to allow them to resume
talks. Norwegians may wait until after July 10 Provincial
elections before making a new proposal, but Solheim will visit
Sri Lanka next week for discussions. LTTE continues to be
upset about alleged GSL support for breakaway leader
Karuna. The GSL is taking some steps which "test the limits"
of the Cease Fire Agreement. END SUMMARY.
2. (U)
Ambassador met with Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar June
22 to discuss recent Norwegian activities in support of Sri
Lankan Peace Process. These included meetings last week
between Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Helgesen and Sri
Lankan President Kumaratunga in London, between Norwegian
Special Envoy Solheim and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) adviser Balasingham also in London, and Helgesen,s
visit to New Delhi. Solheim will return to Sri Lanka next
week.
BRIEFING THE INDIANS IN NEW DELHI
---------------------------------
3. (C)
Brattskar traveled to New Delhi for Helgesen,s meetings with
the new Indian government June 19. Helgesen met with Foreign
Minister Singh, National Security Adviser Dixit, and the
Foreign Secretary. Brattskar described the meetings as
basically a briefing by Norway on the peace process, with very
little input by the Indians. The Indian officials, he said,
were supportive of Norway and its role, and asked many
questions. They said that India would play a positive role,
and that there would be "no surprises." Brattskar did note
that Dixit said that his own views on Sri Lanka were naturally
colored by his experiences there as High Commissioner from
1985-87.
CBK AND BALASINGHAM IN LONDON
-----------------------------
4. (C)
Brattskar said that Helgesen had a two hour one-on-one meeting
with President Kumaratunga in London last week. (Kumaratunga
was in London to attend her daughter´s graduation from medical
school.) They had a "good exchange." Helgesen clarified for
her that it is not Norway which is insisting that the two
sides agree on a statement before they can meet
again. Kumaratunga had suggested that the two sides could
proceed on the basis of an "understanding" if they could not
reach agreement on a statement. But, said Brattskar, LTTE
distrust is so deep that they will not move forward without
"something solid."
5. (C)
The good news is that both sides have asked the Norwegians to
continue to work the issue. For the LTTE, this was confirmed
by both Balasingham in London and by Thamilchelvam in his
meeting with Brattskar on June 16 (Reftel). Brattskar noted
that the two sides had been "very very close" to an agreement
several weeks ago, but that the government had kept putting
new things in. Norway would now try to come up with a new, and
simpler, text to which both sides could agree. (Brattskar
confirmed that the statement would be one by Norway, not by
the two sides.) The Norwegians were considering what such a
statement might look like, and also what might be the right
time to try to move ahead. One school of thought is that the
Government will not be able to agree to anything until after
the Provincial Council Elections on July 10, so Norway might
delay until that point. Brattskar did say, however, that
Special Envoy Eric Solheim would return to Sri Lanka next week
for talks with both sides.
6. (C)
Brattskar agreed with Ambassador that President Kumaratunga
had so far been much more flexible than the LTTE. Her last
offer -- to conclude negotiations on an interim administration
and then to begin negotiations on final issues while the
interim administration was being set up -- was quite
forward-leaning. The LTTE was so suspicious, however, that
they had not moved at all, said Brattskar. He noted that
Government actions tended to reinforce LTTE suspicions. The
LTTE was especially worked up about the situation in the East
and alleged Government support to Karuna. (See Septel for more
details.) Balasingham and Thamilchelvam had both stressed the
need to maintain the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA).
Unfortunately, Brattskar said, the Government was taking some
steps which were not good at this time. For instance, the Sri
Lankan Navy and the LTTE were now embroiled in a dispute over
movement of LTTE cadres by boat. The Navy was attempting to
unilaterally change the procedures which had been followed
until now. Brattskar described this as the Navy `testing the
limits,' which was not good at this sensitive time. He also
said that Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission head General Furhovde
was quite unhappy about this. (Ambassador will see Furhovde,
who is currently out of Colombo, early next week.)
COMMENT
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7. (C)
The current Norwegian tactic of stepping back for a minute and
then trying to come up with a fresh formulation which could
satisfy both sides seems a good one at the moment. Ambassador
will make points about all sides needing to compromise and
necessity to support the Cease Fire when he holds an `on the
record session' with leading editors on June 24. Importance
of the cease fire and seeking clarification on recent changes
in naval procedures with the LTTE would also be useful topics
to raise during Deputy Secretary,s upcoming meeting with Sri
Lankan Navy chief
SIPDIS
Admiral Sandagiri. END COMMENT.
LUNSTEAD