From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3955959.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 31.5.2006

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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002987
SIPDIS
SIPDIS 
E.O. 12958:
DECL: 04/11/2011 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PHUM, CE, NO, JA 
SUBJECT: CO-CHAIRS APPEAL TO SRI LANKA TO PULL BACK FROM CRISIS
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for Reasons 1.4 b/d

1. (C)
Summary: U.S., Japanese, Norwegian and EU participants at the
30 May 2006 Tokyo Co-Chairs meeting concluded a joint
statement presenting a strong Co-Chairs position on the
failing Sri Lankan peace process. Participants agreed to cite
Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) failure to prevent attacks by
armed militias, and to urge both the GSL and the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to re-commit to agreed basic
peace principles. The statement noted the international
community's ability to "support" but not "deliver" peace, and
called strongly on the GSL and LTTE to guarantee the safety of
NGOs and aid workers in Sri Lanka. They endorsed a set of
Norwegian initiatives, to be issued several days after the
meeting, for specific actions the parties should take to
negotiate a settlement of the conflict. The Co-Chairs elected
not to respond to the GSL's statement on the EU designation of
the LTTE as a terrorist organization. Full text of the Joint
Statement is in paragraph 5, below. End Summary.

2. (C)
During the May 30 Tokyo Co-Chairs meeting on the Sri Lanka
peace process, U.S., Japanese, Norwegian and EU participants
presented their views and agreed that Sri Lanka was on the
brink of a civil war. They also agreed the international
community should make clear that both sides would be held
accountable for upholding the 2002 cease-fire accord. In order
to prepare for future talks, the international community
should propose concrete steps to prepare both parties to
return to the negotiating table.

3. (C)
The Co-Chairs decided to explore the concept of allocating
tasks to other groups of countries who wish to support the
Co-Chairs' efforts. Participants agreed that delivering the
peace was the task of Sri Lankans themselves, and that the
international community can only support the effort. They
endorsed a Norwegian initiative listing specific steps to
immediately end violence, restore normalcy, and resume
political talks for the parties to take to move towards a
negotiated settlement of the conflict, and agreed that details
of the initiative would be issued several days after the
meeting. The delegations noted the necessity of examining how
to strengthen the role of SLMM. Participants also conveyed
that the Co-Chairs' "condemn absolutely" attacks on NGOs and
aid workers and called on the GSL and the LTTE to ensure the
protection of civil society organizations' operations in Sri
Lanka.

GSL Statement on EU Designation of LTTE 
---------------------------------------

4. (C)
Mid-meeting, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosts
delivered a statement from Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa
responding to the EU's designation of LTTE as a terrorist
organization, on which the GSL hoped for a Co-Chair response.
Meeting participants widely agreed that the GSL's text, which
preceded the EU's designation announcement, contained weak and
imprecise language on the GSL's implementation of past peace
commitments, and that the Co-Chairs statement should not
address it.

Joint Statement 
---------------

5. (U)
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants adopted the
following joint statement. Begin text

The Tokyo Co-Chairs appeal to Sri Lanka to pull back from
crisis. Co-Chairs met today in Tokyo at a time when Sri Lanka
is on the brink of war. Japan convened this meeting, three
years after the original Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction
and Development of Sri Lanka, to decide whether the Co-Chairs,
namely the European Union, Japan, US and Norway, can usefully
help further in addressing Sri Lanka's crisis when the
Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE do not seem to be able to
prevent the sliding back into violence. The Co-Chairs call on
both parties to take immediate steps to reverse the
deteriorating situation and put the country back on the road
to peace. The LTTE must re-enter the negotiating process. It
must renounce terrorism and violence. It must show that it is
willing to make the political compromises needed for a
political solution within a united Sri Lanka. This solution
should include democratic rights of all peoples of Sri Lanka.
The international community will respond favorably to such
actions; failure to do so will lead to deeper isolation of the
LTTE. The Government must show that it will address the
legitimate grievances of the Tamils. It must immediately
prevent groups based in its territory from carrying out
violence and acts of terrorism. It must protect the rights and
security of Tamils throughout the country and ensure violators
are prosecuted. It must show that it is ready to make the
dramatic political changes to bring about a new system of
governance which will enhance the rights of all Sri Lankans,
including the Muslims. The international community will
support such steps; failure to take such steps will diminish
international support.
-------------
The Co-Chairs recognize that both parties have
responsibilities which they have failed to deliver upon,
including the commitments made at their meeting in Geneva in
February 2006. The LTTE is responsible for numerous terrorist
attacks. The Government has failed to prevent attacks of armed
groups, including Karuna and violent elements of EPDP. The
violence that has resulted is no longer confined to the
parties to the conflict but has spilled over to ruin or end
the lives of innocent civilians. This has led to a breakdown
of law and order and the terrorization of the affected
population. Abuses of human rights have been assessed recently
by the UN and others. The Co-Chairs call on all parties to
respect human rights and pursue human rights' abuses. This
situation is not sustainable and the country will continue its
slide into greater conflict unless the two protagonists cease
all violence and resolve their differences through peaceful
negotiation. While the situation gives cause for grave
concern, the Co-Chairs concluded that the ingredients for a
peaceful settlement remain present. The majority in Sri Lanka
still seek peace. All Co-Chairs renewed their commitment to do
all possible to help Sri Lanka in a manner that promotes peace
and to support the current Norwegian-facilitated peace effort.
Other countries and organizations share this view and wish to
support the Co-Chairs' effort. To this end, the Co-Chairs will
explore interest for allocating tasks to other groups of
countries to improve the efficiency of work within the areas
defined by the participants in the Tokyo Conference three
years ago. The Tamil and Muslim peoples of Sri Lanka have
justified and substantial grievances that have not yet been
adequately addressed. The Co-Chairs encourage the Government
of the Sri Lanka to further develop concrete policies for
addressing the grievances of minorities and for building
mutual confidence between different communities. The Co-Chairs
and the international community will support the Government's
efforts towards implementing such policies. However, three
years of work since the original Tokyo Conference shows the
international community can only support but cannot deliver
peace. Peace can only be delivered by Sri Lankans themselves.
The Co-Chairs' role can be meaningful only where those parties
want to help themselves in bringing peace with commitment and
honesty. Both parties have agreed to the basic principles of
any future peace during the successful period of negotiation
in 2002-2003. The parties should recommit to these principles
set down in the Ceasefire Agreement, the decisions from the
six rounds of talks, and the meeting in Geneva in February
2006. In this context, the Co-Chairs will support any solution
agreed by the parties that safeguards the territorial
integrity of Sri Lanka, assures protection and fulfills the
legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people and indeed of the
Muslim people, guarantees democracy and human rights, and is
acceptable to all communities. Norway has prepared a number of
initiatives for the parties to return to talks, which will be
issued shortly. The Co-Chairs endorsed these initiatives. The
solutions to the problem cannot be brought through conflict -
the history of Sri Lanka shows that war is not winnable for
either side and simply causes immense suffering to the
citizens. Finding solutions requires political commitment,
imagination and spirit of compromise and the responsibility
for this lies solely with the Government of Sri Lanka and the
LTTE. The Co-Chairs reiterate their support for the important
role of Norway as facilitator to the peace process and the
ceasefire monitoring activities of Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission (SLMM) in an increasingly difficult situation. At the
same time, it is necessary to examine how to strengthen the
role of SLMM. The Co-chairs note that over $3,400 million has
been provided by donors based on Tokyo pledges and tsunami
funds, and more than 20% of that assistance has been allocated
to the North and East including LTTE controlled area. Such
assistance has contributed to improving the livelihood of
people in Sri Lanka. As long as the commitment to the
Ceasefire Agreement by both parties is proven by way of their
actions, the international community will continue its
assistance in addition to humanitarian aid. As improvement of
health, education and development is important as
confidence-building measures, the Co-Chairs could also provide
funding to support the efforts to meet these critical needs.
The Co-Chairs reaffirm that a continuous and positive
involvement of the UN, Red Cross, and civil society, including
the NGOs, in the peace process is vital. However, there has
been increasing criticism of and even open attacks against
these actors lately. The Co-Chairs condemn absolutely these
attacks. The Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE should
ensure their protection so their positive work for Sri Lanka
can continue. The Co-Chairs will follow up closely the
findings of the agencies involved in monitoring human rights,
such as the UN and SLMM. Three years ago at the original Tokyo
Conference, the international community was requested to
support the peace process. The key elements to this process
were the facilitation by Norway, the monitoring role of the
SLMM, the Co-Chairs and substantial aid flows from a multitude
of donors. The international community remains committed to
its supporting role agreed three years ago but it turns to the
government and LTTE to deliver on their side of the bargain if
war is to be avoided.

End text.

Participants
------------

6. (U)
Participants at the Co-Chairs meeting included the following:

United States 
-------------
Mr. Richard Boucher, U.S. Assistant Secretary for South
and Central Asian Affairs 
Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives 
Ms. Molly Gower, Sri Lanka Desk Officer

Japan 
-----
Ambassador Yasushi Akashi, Representative of the Government of Japan 
Ambassador Akio Suda, Japan's Ambassador to Sri Lanka 
Mr. Shinsuke Shimizu, Director of Southwest Asia Division, MOFA

Norway 
------
Mr. Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister of International Development 
Mr. Jon Hanssen-Bauer, Norwegian Special Envoy 
Ambassador Hans Brattskar, Norway's Ambassador to Sri Lanka

European Union 
--------------
Mr. Herve Jouanjean, European Community's Representative 
Mr. Julian Wilson, Head of Delegation, European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka 
Ambassador Peter Moser, Austrian Ambassador to Japan 
Ambassador Van Dijk Reynout, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka

7. (U) A/S Boucher cleared this message. 

SCHIEFFER 
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