Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03COLOMBO1344
2003-08-01 06:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

In discussion with Charge', Norwegian

Tags:  PGOV PTER PINS MOPS CE NO LTTE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001344 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08-01-13
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS MOPS CE NO LTTE
SUBJECT: In discussion with Charge', Norwegian
Ambassador reviews upcoming visit by Tigers to France

Refs: Colombo 1339, and previous

(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Charge'
d'Affaires. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001344

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08-01-13
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS MOPS CE NO LTTE
SUBJECT: In discussion with Charge', Norwegian
Ambassador reviews upcoming visit by Tigers to France

Refs: Colombo 1339, and previous

(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Charge'
d'Affaires. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) The Charge' met August 1 with Norwegian
Ambassador Hans Brattskar to discuss the latest news
regarding Sri Lanka's peace process. Concerning a
recent camp put in place by the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the east, Brattskar said there is
no sign of movement on the issue. (Note: The Tigers
have refused to vacate the camp, despite a ruling by the
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, "SLMM," that its
establishment violates the February 2002 ceasefire
accord -- see Reftels.) He added that there was some
hope that LTTE political chief S.P. Thamilchelvam's
ongoing visit to eastern Sri Lanka may presage some
change in the Tigers' heretofore hard-line stance, but
it was not yet clear. Charge' asked that the Norwegian
facilitators keep the U.S. apprised of the situation.


2. (C) With respect to the larger peace process
picture, Brattskar had some interesting new information.
According to his account, Thamilchelvam and a delegation
of Tiger cadre plan to head to France within the next
two weeks to attend a seminar on legal issues. (Note:
The issues under discussion at the seminar would involve
the debate over the formation of a Tiger-dominated
interim administration in the north/east, as well as
federalism issues linked with a potential final
settlement of the dispute.) Brattskar confirmed that
the French government had approved the Tigers'
participation on July 31, after considerable internal
debate. The French agreed to host, he noted, when
assured that the seminar would be run in a very low-key
manner. (Note: Due to the French sensitivities,
Brattskar asked that we keep their decision close-hold.)
He said the Tigers were quite enthusiastic about the GoF
decision, hoping that it indicated some sort of thawing
in western countries' negative view of the LTTE. (Note:
Brattskar noted that the Canadian government, which had
been approached to host the seminar, had decided not
to.) Brattskar added that it was not yet clear whether
Tiger spokesman Anton Balasingham, who is based in
London, would participate in any way in the seminar.


3. (C) Comment: The news re the controversial camp is
still not what the Norwegians, the GSL, and virtually
everyone else wants to hear, i.e., the LTTE has vacated
the site. The Tigers are being quite stubborn on the
matter, so it is undoubtedly going to take some more
time to resolve. Concerning the seminar in France,
Brattskar remarked that he thought it what was a genuine
effort by the Tigers to learn more about
constitutional/legal issues. It is the case that the
sum of Tiger expertise on such issues hovers around
zero, which they readily admit. End Comment.


4. (U) Minimize considered.

ENTWISTLE