OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 042 (03/17/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000469 SIPDIS OFFICIAL INFORMAL FOR SA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/14 TAGS: AMGT CE MV LTTE SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 042 (03/17/04) Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). CONTENTS: CALL FROM THE NORWEGIANS RE LTTE POLLS: PROBLEMS FOR UNP? DCM TO PUTTULAM CODEL DREIER/MRS. MCCAIN CALL FROM THE NORWEGIANS RE LTTE -------------- ¶1. (C) Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar called Ambassador Lunstead March 17 to relay a conversation the Norwegians had with Pulithevan, head of the LTTE "Peace Secretariat." In his discussion with the Norwegians, SIPDIS Pulithevan stated that the LTTE had had no involvement with the rumors that the U.S. was supporting rebel LTTE commander Karuna in his split with the Tiger organization. According to Brattskar, Pulithevan went on to say that he might even call the U.S. Embassy personally to relay the message. To date, we have not received any such call. (POL) POLLS: PROBLEMS FOR UNP? -------------- ¶2. (U) FYI. A recently released poll on Sri Lankans' attitudes toward the economy, peace process, and elections reveals that the UNP might be in trouble. While generally earning high marks for its management of the peace process, the UNP does very poorly regarding the economy, especially among southerners. We are not sure of the validity of this poll by the Org-Smart group, but it is something to mull over. ¶3. (SBU) Late today, we also received a copy of a poll done by the CPA, a local think-tank, with USAID funding. It also shows that the UNP is doing poorly, especially on "are you better off than you were a year ago?" type questions. We will report more on this. (POL) DCM TO PUTTULAM -------------- ¶4. (U) Jim will be cutting ribbons on AID/OTI projects in Puttulam Thursday and won't be in the office. (DCM) CODEL DREIER/MRS. MCCAIN -------------- ¶5. (SBU) We will respond to the Codel Dreier frontchannel tomorrow after we put our heads together on their program. DATT has told the CODEL military contact that we need info for the flight clearance pronto. Re visitors, AMB is having Mrs. McCain over this evening after she returns from Jaffna. (DCM) LUNSTEAD