LACK OF TRUST STYMIES PROGRESS ON PEACE SOLHEIM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001109

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR E. MILLARD. PLEASE ALSO
PASS TOPEC.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2014
TAGS: PREL CE LTTE
SUBJECT: LACK OF TRUST STYMIES PROGRESS ON PEACE SOLHEIM
TELLS DONORS


Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. Reason 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Eric Solheim says the main issue now is
trust and confidence. The Tigers are focusing on attacks on
them in the East committed by pro-Karuna forces which they
believe are being aided by Sri Lankan military intelligence.
The GSL said it would make sure there are no more such
operations. The Tigers are also upset about anti-Tiger
broadcasts on state radio. If the situation calms down,
Solheim believes other issues can be resolved and
negotiations begun, as both sides want to get back to the
table. The Tigers deny they have resumed under-age
recruitment. Norway will continue to talk to both sides and
hope the situation in the East calms down. END SUMMARY.



2. (C) Norwegian Special Envoy Eric Solheim briefed donor
reps July 1 on his meetings in Sri Lanka. He had met GSL
figures, including President Kumaratunga, Opposition leader
Ranil Wickremasinghe, and LTTE political chief Tamilchelvan.

The Karuna Affair
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3. (C) Solheim said the LTTE was focused on the situation in
the East and Karuna. They believe Karuna groups are operating
against them in the East with the assistance of Military
Intelligence. They said no progress could be made until this
situation ended, and that it was a violation of the Cease
Fire Agreement. In response, GSL leaders said they will make
sure there are no more such operations. They noted that a new
Chief of Army Staff took office on July 1, and that he would
make certain this was the case. In response to a question as
to whether the GSL had admitted supporting Karuna, Solheim
noted that details of past donor briefing had been leaked
almost verbatim to the press, and that he therefore did not
want to answer that sensitive question. (Comment: We will get
that information in a more confidential setting.)

Anti-Tiger Broadcasts
--------------


4. (C) The Tigers also complained that the
government-controlled Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
(SLBC) was transmitting everyday an hour-long production from
a London-based "Tamil Broadcasting Corporation" (TBC). This
was described as a pro-Karuna group which was advocating
violence against the LTTE and demerger of the Northern and
Eastern provinces. When Solheim raised the issue, the GSL
said it would look into it.

Lack of Trust Stymies Progress
--------------


5. (C) Solheim said there had been no major developments on
the issue of the agenda for the talks, with both sides
sticking to their previous positions. The problem, he said
was a lack of confidence, as exemplified by the Karuna and
TBC issues. With confidence and trust, he was sure the
agenda issue could be solved quickly.

Development Issues
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6. (C) Solheim said the government was eager to increase
assistance to the North and East. The LTTE is ready to
continue the current situation, in which some assistance is
channeled to the area through the Provincial Council. They
are not ready for any major initiatives (such as a NERF-like
structure) until the ISGA is in place and running. He noted
that the LTTE is ready--when the situation in the East calms
down, to begin talks on the subject of an interim
administration. They are not insisting that the talks be only
on their own ISGA proposal.

Ready to Move?
--------------


7. (C) In response to the Ambassador's question, Solheim said
that he believed there was a strong will on both sides to
return to the table. If the confidence issues can be
resolved, he believes that will solve the agenda issue. He
said he believed that the LTTE had no intention to go back to
war, and that their threatening press statements were for
public consumption. He agreed that so far the Government had
shown flexibility on the agenda issue, while the LTTE had not.

Recruitment? What Recruitment?
--------------


8. (C) The Norwegians discussed child recruitment and
re-recruitment at length with the LTTE, which said that
UNICEF's figures were wrong. The Norwegians delivered a
strong message that (1) this was an important human rights
issue and (2) the LTTE actions were damaging to their image
around the world.

Norwegians Will Press On
--------------


9. Solheim said that Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister
Helgeson might return to Sri Lanka around the end of July,
and Solheim himself might get to London to speak to
Balasingham. In the meantime, Ambassador Brattsker would
continue his efforts with both sides, and there would be
other contacts.

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


10. (C) Solheim was realistic but not discouraged. The
immediate issue is whether the targeted acts against the LTTE
in the East will cease. Solheim noted that the Tigers were
more concerned with the ground situation in the East than
they were with Karuna as an individual. On that issue, during
a meeting June 30, Defense Secretary Herath implicitly
admitted to Ambassador that the military was holding Karuna,
and agreed that the best thing might be for Karuna to simply
come out into the open and join the political process. On
July 1, anti-LTTE Tamil political leader Douglas Devananda
told Ambassador that he expected that would happen soon,
perhaps next week.
LUNSTEAD