OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 162 (11-19-02)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 002147 SIPDIS OFFICIAL INFORMAL DEPT FOR SA/INS FROM AMBASSADOR WILLS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11-19-12 TAGS: AMGT CE LTTE SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 162 (11-19-02) Classified by Ambassador Wills, Reasons 1.5 (b, d) CONTENTS: JAPAN'S YOSIKAWA VISITS KILINOCHI GL PEIRIS ON BALASINGHAM'S WISH TO VISIT NORTH NORTH AMERICA MORAGODA-DEPSEC TV INTERVIEW IN OSLO? DEALING WITH THE LTTE DRAFT PRESS GUIDANCE: OK TO USE? ICC WAIVER Japan's Yosikawa Visit's Kilinochi -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Japanese Ambassador rang the Ambassador last night to report on his and Mr. Yosikawa's attendance at the first Subcommittee meeting on North-East Reconstruction. The atmosphere was "positive and friendly" but the details of how the Subcommittee and related North-East Reconstruction Fund -- NERF -- will work are still unclear. Ambassador Otsuka said he and Yosikawa told the LTTE that donors needed maximal flexibility to implement programs and donate funds but he wasn't sure the LTTE got it. There apparently will be a Secretariat for the Subcommittee -- bureaucracies do SIPDIS indeed proliferate -- staffed with an LTTE Director and two Deputy Directors, one from the GSL and one representing "minorities." The Japanese role in the Subcommittee has been defined as "Principal Advisor", so that will be Mr. Akashi's title. Akashi, by the way, will be coming to the Oslo meeting. (FO) Peiris on Balasingham's Wish to Visit North America -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador lunched with GL at Parliament on Saturday. Among many other topics discussed, GL raised a "sensitive" matter relating to the LTTE's Anton Balasingham. It seems Balasingham wants to visit Canada and the US to "consult with the diaspora." The Ambassador replied that Milinda had raised this with the DepSec in September and had been told the USG would check into it. EAW added that the checking was still going on but was unlikely to lead to approval for a Balasingham visit to the US until the Tigers are much closer to coming off the FTO than they are now (the Ambassador actually said - with typically mellifluous southern elegance - "that dog don't hunt". Peiris related that he had raised this possibility with the Canadian Foreign Minister when he was in Ottawa last month. The Foreign Minister replied that Canada would be willing to let in Balasingham but was concerned lest its population think the GOC and the USG have different approaches to FTO's. According to Peiris, the Canadian asked the GSL to intervene with the USG to give a signal to Ottawa that we don't mind if the Canadians give Balasingham a visa. The Ambassador said he would pass this along to Washington. SA may want to alert the DepSec to the possibility the GOC may be raising this with him directly. (FO) Moragoda-Depsec TV Interview in Oslo? -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Milinda rang the Ambassador from Tokyo to find out whether he can do his long-sought TV interview with the Depsec while they are in Olso next week. Can SA please check with Kara B to get an answer? (FO) DEALING WITH THE LTTE -------------- ¶4. (C) We would urge a clear authoritative edict prior to Oslo from the lawyers at Justice on precisely what dealings US officials may have with the LTTE. (FO) DRAFT PRESS GUIDANCE: OK TO USE? -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Is the "if-asked" press guidance we provided in Colombo 2142 OK for us to use (if asked, natch)? (FO) ICC WAIVER -------------- ¶6. (SBU) MFA is closed today for a local holiday. We will get hold of the ForSec tomorrow and make sure we are all working off the same ICC waiver text and set up a signing event ASAP. (FO) WILLS