From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3954401.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 6.12.2004

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12/6/2004 5:29
COLOMBO 001948
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS NSC FOR DORMANDY E.O. 12958:
DECL: 12/06/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, CE, NO, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: "LOW KEY" NORWEGIAN VISIT TO WANNI; THREE CO-CHAIRS TO DISCUSS 
JVP ANTI-NORWAY CAMPAIGN WITH PRESIDENT
REF: COLOMBO 1919
Classified By: James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of Mission. 1.4 (b,d)

1. (C)
Summary: Norwegian Ambassador,s December 2 meeting with
Thamilchelvan produced no breakthroughs but kept lines of
communication open. Thamilchelvan told him Prabhakaran,s
recent policy speech had not been intended as a threat or
ultimatum; he also reiterated LTTE commitment to maintaining
the cease-fire. Norwegian envoy Solheim will visit Kilinochchi
December 15. Co-chair representatives agreed that Japan, the
EU and the U.S. would call on President Kumaratunga to express
concern over the JVP-orchestrated anti-Norway campaign.
End Summary.

2. (C)
The Sri Lanka co-chairs met December 3 to discuss the previous
day,s Norwegian meeting with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) in Kilinochchi and to coordinate co-chair action
in the face of a Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-orchestrated
against Norwegian efforts here. DCM represented the U.S.

"Low Key" Visit to Wanni 
------------------------

3. (C)
Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar briefed on his December 2
one-day trip to LTTE headquarters in Kilinochchi which had
been at his initiative. Brattskar had wanted one last meeting
with LTTE political chief Thamilchelvan before Brattskar goes
home for the holidays and for an Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
(SLMM) conference in Copenhagen (he departs December 11 and is
scheduled to return to Colombo January 10). Brattskar said he
had intentionally kept the visit "low key" by only informing
the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) at the last minute to avoid
leaks to the press. He had also asked the LTTE not to discuss
the visit with the press although his presence in Kilinochchi
inevitably "leaked out." Asked by journalists if he was
carrying a message from the GSL, Brattskar had stated that he
was not. Brattskar noted that he had given GSL Peace
Secretariat chief Jayantha Dhanapala a readout on his trip
earlier in the day.

Speech Analysis with Thamilchelvan 
----------------------------------

4. (C)
Brattskar said he had gone through LTTE chief Prabhakaran,s
Heroes, Day speech with Thamilchelvan "line by line." During
that discussion, Thamilchelvan reiterated the LTTE,s
commitment to maintaining the cease-fire agreement (CFA) and
told Brattskar the speech had not been intended as a threat or
as an ultimatum. Asked why the speech had not included the
usual LTTE references to "internal or external
self-determination," Thamilchelvan said his boss had wanted to
focus the speech instead on the humanitarian needs of the
Tamil people and how those needs could be assuaged by
implementation of the LTTE,s Interim Self-Governing Authority
(ISGA) proposal. Thamilchelvan used the same line when
Brattskar asked why the speech had included no reference to
the situation in the East or to breakaway faction chief
Karuna. Brattskar opined to the other co-chair reps that
Prabhakaran had not wanted to dignify Karuna with a reference
in the speech and was reluctant to draw attention to the East
where LTTE efforts to regain control are mixed.

5. (C)
Brattskar asked Thamilchelvan to explain the internal
inconsistency in the speech between the stated readiness to
resume negotiations and the stated lack of faith in the GSL,s
intentions and abilities to pursue a peace process.
Thamilchelvan responded by "launching into a history lesson"
on Sinhalese perfidy, concluding that in spite of it all the
LTTE was willing to move ahead and negotiate the ISGA. Asked
to clarify the speech reference to "advancing the freedom
struggle," Thamilchelvan "had no specific answer." Brattskar
told Thamilchelvan that it was important that Prabhakaran had
indicated in the speech a willingness to negotiate ISGA
details rather than taking a "take it or leave it" approach.

6. (C)
Moving beyond the speech, Brattskar told Thamilchelvan ("as I
always do") that the LTTE needed to make periodic public
reaffirmations of its "commitment to Oslo and to democratic
principles." Thamilchelvan said he had made these commitments
during his recent travels in Europe. Brattskar said that was
fine but public reiterations are necessary. Thamilchelvan
"just smiled." Brattskar noted that he had so far only had a
very brief telephonic readout from Eric Solheim on his meeting
with Balasingham in London. "It appears to have been along the
same lines of my talk with Thamilchelvan."

Norwegian Travels 
----------------- 

7. (C)
Brattskar said Solheim will now arrive in Colombo late on
December 13 and will travel to Kilinochchi on December 15. In
the face of the current peace process stasis, Brattskar said
the Norwegians intend to send someone out "every 4-6 weeks or
so" just to keep lines of communications open. Solheim is not
expecting any significant developments during his visit just
as Brattskar had not expected any in his December 2 trip to
Kilinochchi.

Co-Chair Support of Norway 
--------------------------

8. (C)
Turning to the matter of the JVP-orchestrated campaign against
Norwegian facilitation efforts (reftel), co-chair reps agreed
on a meeting with President Kumaratunga to express support for
Norway and to seek an explanation of how government coalition
members could be allowed to behave in such fashion. Brattskar
said Helgesen strongly supported the idea but felt it best
that Norway not participate, "since you,ll be talking about
us." Thus, it was agreed that Japan, the EU and the U.S.
should call on the President. Japanese Ambassador Suda will
request an appointment. All agreed it would be important to
put out a brief press statement immediately thereafter. DCM
agreed to craft a first draft for circulation.

9. (C)
Brattskar laughingly noted that that morning he had presented
the Minister of Culture, a JVP member, with a GON check to
support the purchasing of books for cultural centers across
the country. "I gave a speech saying Norway supports the
masses." Brattskar noted the minister seemed to have no qualms
about taking Norwegian money. (The ceremony was prominently
featured on the front page of the December 4 English language
Mirror newspaper.)

Comment 
-------

10. (C) 
Despite the vituperative JVP-led campaign against them and the
current stalemate in the peace process, the Norwegians intend
to continue their methodical circuit ride between the two
sides. President Kumaratunga is reported to be privately
"furious" about the JVP anti-Norway campaign. Her reaction to
the presentation by "three legs" of the co-chairs should
indicate whether she plans to do anything about it. End Comment.

LUNSTEAD 
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