Recent peace process-related meetings

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000387

SIPDIS

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

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03-07-13
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS PHUM CE NO JA LTTE
SUBJECT: Recent peace process-related meetings
involving LTTE help a bit in improving atmosphere

Refs: Colombo 374, and previous

(U) Classified by Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: After a March 5 meeting with the
Norwegian-led monitors, the Tamil Tigers released two
security force personnel from detention. In an earlier
meeting with UNICEF, the Tigers agreed to move forward
with an "action plan" aimed at ending the use of child
soldiers. In other news, the monitors have a new chief,
Tryggve Tellefsen, a retired Norwegian general. Amid
the recent concerns about the state of the GSL's peace
initiative, the latest meetings with the Tigers have
helped a bit in confidence-building. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) RELEASE OF SECURITY FORCE PERSONNEL: Recent
peace process-related meetings involving the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have proven relatively
constructive. In a March 5 meeting in the LTTE-
controlled Wanni region, for example, officials of the
Norwegian-run Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)
strongly urged LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran and chief
negotiator Anton Balasingham to release a GSL soldier
and policeman from custody. (Note: The two security
force personnel had been captured in separate incidents
and held for some weeks. The LTTE had promised to free
them on several occasions.) Hours after the meeting
concluded, the Tigers released the two men. In
announcing their release, the Tigers stated that the
move was a "goodwill gesture to the SLMM, a recognition
of SLMM authority, and a sign of dedication to the
(February 2002) ceasefire agreement and the peace
process."


3. (C) The holding of the two men by the LTTE had been
a cause celebre, with the anti-peace process press in
the south loudly demanding their release. The
announcement that the men had been freed elicited some
positive press for the government's peace initiative.
Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council, a local NGO,
told us that he thought the move was "quite
constructive" in that it indicated some respect on the
part of the Tigers for the SLMM's mandate. (Note: The
LTTE's willingness to work closely with the SLMM had
been subject to serious question of late, especially
when SLMM monitors were forced to jump off an arms-
smuggling boat, which had been set on fire by Tiger
personnel during a February incident. The Tiger
personnel subsequently blew themselves up and the boat
sank.)


4. (SBU) MEETING RE CHILD SOLDIERS: In another meeting
that wrapped up in seemingly positive fashion,
representatives of UNICEF met with LTTE political chief
S.P. Thamilchelvam on March 4 in the Wanni. At the
conclusion of the meeting, the Tigers agreed to finish
work on an "action plan" focused on ending the use of
child soldiers. The Tigers also agreed to send
personnel to workshops and training sessions on the
issue in coming weeks. UNICEF and the Tigers also
agreed to establish "transit centers" to facilitate the
return to society of children released from LTTE ranks.
At the close of the meeting, Thamilchelvam was quoted as
stating the following:

"Our commitment to all children affected by war and not
to recruit children has been firm and remains firm. The
LTTE has informed all military commanders and heads of
political sections in writing regarding the policy not
to recruit children under the age of 18."


5. (C) UNICEF seemed very enthusiastic about the
outcome of the meeting. UNICEF assistant program
officer Sarah Lendon told us that the meeting was held
in a very cordial atmosphere, with the Tigers seeming to
want to cooperate fully. She noted that the meeting had
resulted in a bit of a "breakthrough" in that for the
first time the LTTE had agreed to "concrete measures"
(e.g., agreeing to workshops, setting up transit
centers) to deal with the child soldier issue. Lendon
acknowledged that the Tigers had made promises to reform
their behavior in this area before and had failed to
carry through on them.


6. (U) NEW HEAD OF SLMM: In other peace process-
related news, the SLMM has a new chief. On March 7,
Tryggve Tellefsen, a retired Norwegian army major
general, took over as SLMM head of mission. Tellefsen
replaces Trond Furuhovde, another retired Norwegian
general, who had served as chief of the SLMM since the
group began operations last year. As with Furuhovde,
Tellefsen is quite experienced in peacekeeping missions:
He served as commander of the Multinational Force and
Observers (MFO) monitoring the Egypt/Israel peace treaty
from 1997-2001 and in Macedonia with UNPROFOR from
1994-95.


7. (C) COMMENT: As reviewed in Reftels, there has been
a sour mood surrounding the peace process of late, with
many in the south -- and the international community --
deeply worried about the LTTE and its commitment to
peace. Against this backdrop, the latest meetings with
the Tigers have helped a bit in confidence-building. It
seems possible that this somewhat more constructive
trend on the part of the Tigers could ease the situation
a bit as the parties prepare for the next main event,
i.e., the sixth round of GSL-LTTE talks, which is
scheduled to take place March 18-21 in Japan. END
COMMENT.


8. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS