Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03COLOMBO910
2003-05-29 10:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

Norwegians deliver GSL proposal re assistance

Tags:  PGOV PTER EAID CE NO JA 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 SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000910 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, EUR/NB, EAP/J; NSC FOR

E. MILLARD

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/13
TAGS: PGOV PTER EAID CE NO JA LTTE
SUBJECT: Norwegians deliver GSL proposal re assistance
to the Tigers, who indicate they need time to review it

Refs: (A) Colombo 897

- (B) Colombo 874
- (C) Oslo 1049
- (D) Tokyo 3334 (All Notal)

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000910

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, EUR/NB, EAP/J; NSC FOR

E. MILLARD

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/13
TAGS: PGOV PTER EAID CE NO JA LTTE
SUBJECT: Norwegians deliver GSL proposal re assistance
to the Tigers, who indicate they need time to review it

Refs: (A) Colombo 897

- (B) Colombo 874
- (C) Oslo 1049
- (D) Tokyo 3334 (All Notal)

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Norwegian facilitators delivered
the latest GSL proposal re assistance to the Tigers late
May 28. The Tigers indicated that they need time to
review it. The government is only beginning to brief
the public on the matter, but, based on what we are
hearing, the proposal would go some way toward providing
the Tigers an important -- if not dictatorial -- voice
in assistance delivery in the north/east. Whether the
proposal suits the Tigers' fancy and gets them to the
upcoming Tokyo conference remain unclear. END SUMMARY.
--------------
Norwegians deliver Proposal to LTTE
--------------


2. (C) Norwegian government facilitators delivered the
latest GSL proposal re assistance delivery to the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) late May 28.
(Note: The proposal forms the GSL's response to the
LTTE's recent demand for an "interim administrative
structure" in the north/east that would control
assistance delivery and that would be dominated by the
group -- see Refs A-B. See below for more on the nature
of the proposal.) From our understanding, the stop by
the Norwegian Embassy representatives, including
polchief Tomas Stangeland, in the LTTE-controlled
northern Sri Lanka town of Kilinochchi was quite brief.
The Norwegians reportedly got off the Sri Lankan
government helicopter to deliver the document to the
LTTE political office and then got back on for the
flight back to Colombo. On receipt of the document,
LTTE officials indicated that the group would need at
least several days to study it before responding.


3. (C) (((Note: Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim,
who left Colombo bound for Europe last night, did not
travel to Kilinochchi. It was originally envisaged that

Solheim -- who has long experience in dealing with the
Tigers -- would provide the proposal to the LTTE on
May 27. The Tigers postponed that meeting for reasons
that remain unclear. It is possible, but not confirmed,
that Solheim may meet the LTTE's London-based spokesman
Anton Balasingham soon. End Note.)))

--------------
Proposal's Elements become Clearer
--------------


4. (C) The exact contents of the government's proposal
to the LTTE have not yet been published, but its key
elements -- if not the precise details -- are becoming
available. Minister for Economic Reform Milinda
Moragoda, for example, chaired a meeting of donor and
international financial institution (IFI)
representatives on May 28 to review the matter. (Note:
Moragoda left Colombo later in the day bound for Tokyo
to review preparations for the donors conference with
the Japanese government.) At Moragoda's request, Peter
Harrold, World Bank representative, briefed on the GSL
response to LTTE demands for more control of assistance
projects. (Note: The document Harrold briefed on --
which was apparently the text of what was provided by
the Norwegians to the Tigers -- was not provided to
those at the meeting. Moragoda said the government did
not want to release the document at this time, as it was
still under review by the LTTE.)


5. (C) In his briefing, Harrold sketched out a complex
scheme explaining the GSL's proposed assistance
"delivery mechanism." (Note: In its rough form, the
scheme Harrold previewed seemed to have a lot in common
with what the Ambassador heard in a May 24 meeting
chaired by Prime Minister Wickremesinghe -- see Ref B.)
Harrold said there would be an "apex" body, appointed by
both parties (government and LTTE),which would set
policy and priorities for assistance. This body would
also provide oversight of North-East Reconstruction Fund
(NERF) projects, and other projects funded by donors who
cannot contribute to NERF. (Note: The general idea is
to give the LTTE a "major" but not a "majority" say in
what happens to the aid to the NE.) An institutional
structure headed by a "commissioner" would carry out the
work through GSL agencies and donors. Finally, a
"consultative committee" of donors would review progress
and ensure the inclusion of all communities (especially
Muslims, who are threatened by the LTTE in the east and
feel left out of the peace process). When queried as to
whether the proposal might be acceptable to the LTTE,
Norwegians representatives at the meeting said they did
not expect a quick response from the group, but hoped
for a substantive counterproposal.


6. (C) The Japanese Embassy representative at the
meeting also provided a document containing general
information on the Tokyo conference, which is scheduled
to take place June 9-10. (Note: This document has been
faxed to SA/INS.) The Japanese representative said 56
countries and 20 international organizations had said
they would likely attend the conference. Only one seat
at the table, and two seats behind that, would be
available for each delegation in the conference hall,
the GoJ emboff related. Other delegates would have to
watch the proceedings in a nearby "monitoring room."


7. (C) (((Note: Those present at the May 28 meeting
were also briefed on a document, which essentially
bridges the "Regaining Sri Lanka" initiative and the
recent IFI assessment of needs in the north and east,
by combining them. This document has also been faxed to
SA/INS. Significant in it is the estimate of the gap in
GSL financing for 2003-2006. Coverage of these totals
is what the government will be seeking in Tokyo.
Deficits range from $441 - $551 million each year.)))

--------------
GSL begins to sell Proposal to the Public
--------------


8. (SBU) While gliding lightly over the complex
details, the government has begun to review its
potentially controversial proposal with the Sri Lankan
public. In widely quoted remarks made on May 28,
government spokesman and Minister of Constitutional
Affairs G.L. Peiris said he hoped the LTTE accepted the
GSL's proposal and agreed to come to the Tokyo
conference. Re the proposal, he commented that the GSL
had "formulated a set up of ideas for the creation of a
development oriented structure in the northeast for the
effective implementation of the rehabilitation and
reconstruction of the region." Peiris went on to insist
that the GSL's proposal was well within Sri Lanka's
legal system and was fully consistent with the current
constitution. (Note: In May 29 public remarks, PM
Wickremesinghe urged the Tigers to be flexible and "more
understanding," so as to allow the peace process to move
forward.)

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) Whether the government's latest proposal suits
the Tigers' fancy and gets them to the upcoming Tokyo
conference are still very unclear. The group has made
some tough demands and the GSL's current proposal does
not seem to give them the almost total control of
assistance delivery in the north/east that they want.
That said, the government has certainly come a long,
long way and the LTTE will probably review the proposal
quite closely. Getting the Tigers to climb out of the
hole they have dug themselves in time for Tokyo may be
difficult, however. END COMMENT.


10. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS