Latest plans for Tokyo conference follow-up

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001565

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS, S/CT, EAP/J, EUR/NB
NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09-09-13
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EAID CE JA NO LTTE
SUBJECT: Latest plans for Tokyo conference follow-up
meeting on September 12

Refs: (A) Colombo 1546, and previous

- (B) Colombo-SA/INS 09/03/03 fax

(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead.
Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Lunstead recently
participated in planning sessions for the Tokyo follow-
up meeting to be held in Colombo on September 12. The
format and agenda of the upcoming meeting were
discussed, as were the modalities and the substance of
"press guidelines" that would be used by Special Envoy
Akashi pending Tokyo's agreement. Meeting plans now
seem concentrated on avoiding any controversial or new
issues. END SUMMARY.

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Planning for September 12 Meeting
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2. (C) The Ambassador recently participated in two
planning sessions for the follow-up meeting to the June
Tokyo conference to be held in Colombo on September 12.
The first session, which involved representatives of
donor countries, was held on September 5. The second
session, which involved representatives of the four co-
chairs (the U.S. Japan, Norway, and the EU),was held on
September 7. Japanese Ambassador Seiichiro Otsuka
hosted both of the meetings. The following review is a
composite sketch of where planning for the meeting now
stands.

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Format/Agenda of the Meeting
--------------


3. (C) Otsuka shared Tokyo's suggestions for the
September 12 meeting, under which visiting Japanese
Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi would kick off the meeting
by making opening remarks. Donors and others
participating in the meeting would then make comments
per the following three agenda items:

- i) Progress of the peace process since the Tokyo
conference. Featured speakers for this item would be
the Norwegian facilitators and Sri Lankan government
representatives. (Note: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam, "LTTE," had been invited to attend the
September 12 meeting, but Otsuka confirmed that the
group has turned down the invitation.)

- ii) Review of implementation of assistance by the
donor community, as well as inter-linkage between the
peace process and assistance by the donor community.

- iii) Follow-up mechanisms for the Tokyo conference.

These agenda items basically contain the same points, in
slightly different form, to those drafted by the GoJ and
sent to SA/INS in Ref B.

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Elements of a Press Statement
--------------


4. (C) At the second planning session on September 7,
the co-chairs turned to the issue of the modalities and
substance of "press guidelines" announcing the results
of the September 12 meeting. Ambassador Otsuka noted
that he had checked and Tokyo had confirmed that it was
fine for Special Envoy Akashi to speak to the press
immediately after the September 12 meeting. (Note: Per
Ref A, the GoJ had originally wanted Akashi to discuss
the outcome of the September 12 meeting only when he had
held his press conference on September 14 after meeting
with Tiger officials. We and the other donors, however,
felt that the press event should come right after the
September 12 event. FYI: Otsuka noted that the Tigers
have not yet confirmed they will in fact meet with
Akashi.) It was agreed that Akashi would not field any
questions from the press after announcing the
guidelines. Per the advice of the other co-chairs,
Otsuka also agreed to ask Tokyo whether the press
guidelines could be issued in written form.


5. (C) In terms of the substance of the press
guidelines, Otsuka agreed to discuss possible elements
with the co-chairs, although Tokyo had wanted Akashi to
announce the guidelines on his own (i.e., substance not
agreed to in advance by the co-chairs or other donors).
After some review, the co-chairs came up with the
following four elements, which Otsuka said he would
review with Tokyo:

- i) The statement would reaffirm the Tokyo Declaration
and urge resumption of the peace talks.

- ii) It would also reaffirm Para 18 of the Tokyo
Declaration regarding the linkage of assistance and the
status of the peace process.

- iii) It would mention that meeting participants had
reviewed the status of the peace process since the June
Tokyo conference, and would urge the parties to respect
the terms of the February 2002 ceasefire accord,
including by accepting Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
(SLMM) rulings.

- iv) It would also note that participants had agreed to
the following "follow-up mechanisms": a Consultative
Group (CG) meeting would take place "around" June 2004
in Colombo coupled with a "monitoring and review"
meeting, and a possible mid-term review meeting would
take place in the January/February 2004 timeframe.

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Mission Remarks re Elements
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador met with members of the Country
Team to review the proposed elements on September 8.
When examining the elements, some in the Country Team
were worried that the fourth element, as now drafted,
might give dates that were too definite for the CG and
the other meetings, especially if the peace process
continued to face problems. After some discussion,
Mission came to the conclusion that it might be better
to talk of a CG meeting "not earlier than June 2004."
Holding a CG meeting presumes that there is significant
assistance underway which in turn presumes that there is
progress on the peace front. By phrasing it as "no
earlier than," donors would have the option of holding
it later if progress is slow. The Ambassador also spoke
to British High Commissioner Stephen Evans on
September 8, who was basically fine with the four
elements, save to make the point that the fourth element
could usefully state that "meetings will also be held at
different times and at different levels."

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COMMENT
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7. (C) Otsuka told the Ambassador that the press
guidelines (and by implication, the meeting) needed to
be substantive but innocuous enough not to elicit a
strongly negative reaction before Akashi's planned visit
on Sunday to the Vanni. So far it is shaping up that
way, as the proposed guidelines are basically a re-
affirmation of Tokyo (and Oslo). At any rate, there's
no possibility that the twenty-plus participants could
settle in a three-hour meeting any of the outstanding
controversial issues, such as what the close linkage
between assistance and the peace process (para 18 of the
Tokyo Declaration) really means. Otsuka also noted to
us that Special Envoy Akashi plans to call Norwegian
Deputy Foreign Minister Helgesen on September 9. We
think this is a positive gesture, indicating that the
GoJ wants to clear the air with the Norwegians about any
entangling of roles before Helgesen starts his visit to
Sri Lanka early next week. END COMMENT.


8. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD