Sixth round of GSL-LTTE talks reportedly gets

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000462

SIPDIS

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

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03-18-13
TAGS: PTER PINS PARM CE JA NO LTTE
SUBJECT: Sixth round of GSL-LTTE talks reportedly gets
off to better-than-expected start

Refs: (A) Colombo-SA/INS 03-17-03 telecon
- (B) Colombo 450, and previous

(U) Classified by Ambassador E. Ashley Wills.
Reasons: 1.5 (b,d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Tigers used the first day of the
sixth round of talks in Japan to condemn the March 10
sinking of one of their resupply ships by the Sri Lankan
navy. Milinda Moragoda, a key GSL minister and
negotiator, called the Ambassador from Japan and said
atmospherics for the first day were largely positive.
Moragoda conveyed a Tiger request to participate in the
April 14 donor meeting in Washington. There was another
incident off the northeast coast on March 17, but it has
been resolved. The talks seem to have gotten off to a
better-than-expected start. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Mission understands that the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) used the first day of the sixth round
of talks in Japan to complain about the March 10 sinking
of one of its resupply ships by the Sri Lankan navy.
(Note: The talks are taking place in Hakone, a resort
town outside of Tokyo, from March 18-21. See Ref B, for
further details re the March 10 incident.) In March 18
and 19 telephone conversations, Milinda Moragoda, the
GSL Minister of Economic Reform and a key GSL
negotiator, told the Ambassador that the talks had been
largely cordial in spite of the Tigers' complaints re
the March 10 incident. Moragoda noted that the GSL had
acceded to a LTTE request that Sea Tiger Leader Soosai
meet with Sri Lanka Navy Commander D. Sandagiri. After
some discussion, it was agreed that the meeting would
take place within the next three weeks. Moragoda's
overall impression was that the talks were proceeding
well and that the LTTE did not want to disrupt the peace
process over the March 10 incident, but simply register
its concern.


3. (C) Moragoda noted to the Ambassador that on March 19
he had been approached by chief LTTE negotiator Anton
Balasingham and asked whether the LTTE could be
represented at the April 14 donor's meeting in
Washington. Balasingham stressed that the Tigers have
shown their commitment to peace and should thus be
permitted to be represented at the conference. The
Ambassador responded that Balasingham's comments had
been noted, but the answer is a firm "no." (Note: Re
this issue, Mission is faxing SA/INS a letter from
Jeevan Thiagarajah, the head of the Consortium of
Humanitarian Agencies, a local NGO, advocating that the
LTTE-controlled Tamil Rehabilitation Organization be
allowed to attend the April 14 conference.)


4. (C) Moragoda also told the Ambassador that the
delegations in Hakone were currently discussing possible
means of implementing development assistance. Along
those lines, the LTTE expressed concern that the U.S.
planned to oppose the North/East Rehabilitation Fund
(NERF) as a means of coordinating aid going into LTTE-
controlled areas. The Ambassador noted to Moragoda that
although the USG would not work through the NERF, it
would not oppose NERF's use by other donors. The
Ambassador added that the USG would find a way to keep
the NERF informed of its bilateral assistance efforts.


5. (C) (((Note: On a separate issue, Moragoda related
to the Ambassador that Balasingham had mentioned to him
recent press reports that the U.S. planned to provide
the GSL an old U.S. Coast Guard cutter. Balasingham did
not complain about the reported procurement, but seemed
to want Moragoda to know that the LTTE had noticed the
reports. Based on Balasingham's reaction, Moragoda told
the Ambassador that the LTTE was signaling "message
received." End Note.)))


6. (C) Local observers were encouraged that the talks
seem to be going relatively well despite the recent
tensions sparked by the March 10 incident. Kethesh
Loganathan of the Center for Policy Alternatives, a
well-regarded local think tank, commented that he was
pleasantly surprised that the Tigers seemed to want the
talks to be constructive in nature. Like other
observers, he said he had feared the group would use the
talks simply to hit out at the GSL over the March 10
incident and on other issues. He also characterized as
"amazingly positive" Balasingham's reported comments to
the press that the LTTE would "never walk out of the
peace process."


7. (C) In the meantime, as reported in Ref A, there was
another incident off the northeast coast on March 17,
but it has been resolved. According to GSL reports,
navy ships spotted a LTTE craft off the coast of
Trincomalee on March 17 and asked the boat to stop, but
it would not. After firing warning shots, the boat did
stop and the three LTTE cadre on board surrendered. The
navy took the men on shore, but later released them.
Apparently, despite the navy's initial fears, no arms-
related equipment was found on the boat, although the
navy wonders whether the LTTE cadre dumped cargo during
the chase. The Norwegian-run Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission is looking into what transpired, but has told us
that the incident does not seem to have led to any
increase in tension between the two sides.


8. (C) COMMENT: Because of the March 10 incident,
there had been widespread concerns that the Hakone talks
would be contentious. Based on what we are hearing,
however, the talks seem to have gotten off to a better-
than-expected start. Moreover, Balasingham seems to be
trying his level best to give off good vibrations in his
interactions with the press. In our estimation, while
it is still early, the Tigers appear to want to make
this round of talks work out in a positive fashion. If
the Tigers continue to behave, that would help the
government, which has been under sharp pressure from
anti-peace process elements of late. END COMMENT.


9. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS