Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03COLOMBO1781
2003-10-14 11:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

Tiger delegation wraps up meeting in Ireland

Tags:  PGOV PTER CE NO EI LTTE 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001781 

SIPDIS

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

PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10-14-13
TAGS: PGOV PTER CE NO EI LTTE
SUBJECT: Tiger delegation wraps up meeting in Ireland
and proceeds on to Norway

Refs: (A) Dublin 1369 (Notal)
- (B) Colombo 1778, and previous

(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001781

SIPDIS

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

PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10-14-13
TAGS: PGOV PTER CE NO EI LTTE
SUBJECT: Tiger delegation wraps up meeting in Ireland
and proceeds on to Norway

Refs: (A) Dublin 1369 (Notal)
- (B) Colombo 1778, and previous

(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Tamil Tigers have wrapped up their
meeting at the Glencree Center for Reconciliation
located south of Dublin. The Glencree meeting appears
to have helped the group further polish its response to
the GSL's north/east interim administration proposal.
The Tiger delegation is now on its way to Oslo for
discussions with the Norwegian facilitators. If all
goes smoothly, the Tigers and the GSL seem on target to
restart direct negotiations by next month. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) GLENCREE MEETING: The Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have wrapped up their internal
October 6-10 meeting at the Glencree Center for
Reconciliation located south of Dublin. Political Wing
Chief S.P. Thamilchelvam and Eastern Province military
commander Karuna led the LTTE team attending the
discussions. A number of pro-LTTE Tamils from outside
of Sri Lanka also attended the meeting. Several
international legal experts also participated, including
Professor Anthony Regan of the Australian National
University and Professor Christine Bell of Ulster
University. As it did during a similar LTTE meeting in
Paris last month (see Ref B),the Canadian NGO, the
"Forum of Federations," also briefed the group on
federalist constitutional options. Norwegian government
Special Envoy on Sri Lankan peace facilitation issues
Erik Solheim also participated in some of the
discussions (see below). While in Ireland, the LTTE
team also reportedly visited the Irish Parliament at the
invitation of Sinn Fein parliamentarians.


3. (C) LITTLE INFORMATION ON SUBSTANCE: As with Paris,
the Glencree meeting appears to have helped the group
further polish its response to the Sri Lankan
government's interim administrative arrangement proposal
for the north/east (see Ref B). The Tigers have
revealed little of substance about the nature of their
Glencree discussions, with the pro-LTTE website
"TamilNet" providing only sketchy coverage, for example.
S.P. Thamilchelvam was quoted in the local press in Sri
Lanka, however, as stating that the meeting was
"constructive" and that he thought the Tigers'
counterproposals would be welcomed in a positive manner
by the GSL.


4. (C) Local Tamil politicians also did not have much
information regarding the exact nature of the Glencree
discussions. After noting that he had not received a
full briefing regarding Glencree as of yet, however, R.
Sampanthan, a senior MP for the Tamil National Alliance,
told poloff October 14 that he was encouraged by the
"depth" of the Tigers' discussions about the GSL's
interim administration proposal. Echoing Thamilchelvam,
Sampathan added that he thought the group would come up
with "positive" counterproposals, which the government
would be wise to take seriously if it wanted the peace
process to move forward.


5. (C) ON TO NORWAY: The Tigers' tour of Europe
continues. After a brief stop in Denmark, Thamilchelvam
and Karuna are scheduled to hold meetings October 14-17
in Oslo with Norwegian government officials, including
Foreign Minister Jan Petersen. During the visit, the
LTTE team will also meet with representatives of the
local Tamil community in Oslo and make a stop in Bergen.
Asked about the visit, Kjersti Tromsdahl, a Norwegian
Embassy poloff, told us that the GoN wanted to review a
number of issues related to the peace process with the
LTTE leaders while they were in Europe. Tromsdahl noted
that Solheim thought that Glencree had gone well, with
the Tigers taking the discussions very seriously.


6. (C) COMMENT: The plan for some time now has been
for the Tigers to provide their counterproposals to the
Norwegians in October and for the GoN to convey them
onwards to the GSL (lead government negotiator G.L.
Peiris told DUSTR Shiner October 14 that he expects the
government to receive the LTTE counterproposals on or
about October 26). The idea is that these
counterproposals would form the basis for a new set of
face-to-face talks involving the GSL and the LTTE
beginning in the November timeframe. At this point, the
positive news is that this schedule seems to be holding.
There remain some concerns in Colombo circles, however,
that the Tigers may try to drive a hard bargain with
their counterproposals, thus complicating any talks that
do take place. END COMMENT.


7. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD