Ambassador and Special Envoy Akashi discuss

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000825

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS, EAP/J

NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/14
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EAID CE JA NO LTTE
SUBJECT: Ambassador and Special Envoy Akashi discuss
peace process, upcoming Co-Chairs meeting in Brussels

Refs: Colombo 809, and previous

(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead.
Reasons 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a May 19 meeting with Ambassador
Lunstead, visiting Japanese Special Envoy Akashi was
relatively upbeat about the peace process based on his
discussions with the GSL and LTTE. The Ambassador and
Akashi also discussed the June 1 Co-Chairs meeting in
Brussels, agreeing it was a well-timed opportunity to
reiterate international support for the peace process
and to review donor assistance issues. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Ambassador Lunstead, the DCM, and polchief met
May 19 with Yasushi Akashi, Japan's Special Envoy on Sri
Lankan issues. Yutaka Kikuta and Hajime Ueda, Director
and Deputy Director, respectively, of the MFA's
Southwest Asia Division joined in the meeting. Akashi
related that his latest visit (May 15-19) to Sri Lanka
had gone well. He had met with President Kumaratunga,
who had underscored her desire that the GSL and the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) resume talks
soon. S.P. Thamilchelvam, the LTTE's political chief,
had also reiterated support for getting back to talks
when he met with Akashi in the LTTE-controlled northern
town of Kilinochchi on May 18. Akashi and the
Ambassador agreed that it was important that the GSL and
the LTTE carefully lay the groundwork for possible
talks. The Ambassador noted that he often stressed that
talks needed to be prepared for in "a structured and
substantive" manner. Kumaratunga appeared to understand
this and to recognize that she had not organized the GSL
effectively enough during past peace processes.


3. (C) Akashi related that he was heartened that
Kumaratunga had recently named former Sri Lankan
Ambassador to the U.S. and UN official Jayantha
Dhanapala to head the GSL's Peace Secretariat. He
thought that Dhanapala was an inspired choice due to his
"methodical and professional" nature. In discussing the
GSL's embryonic peace process team, both Akashi and the
Ambassador Lunstead agreed that Foreign Minister
Kadirgamar was potentially a problematic player. On
this point, Akashi remarked that Kadirgamar clearly took
a much more skeptical approach toward the LTTE than some
others in the GSL. The Ambassador noted that it was
important that President Kumaratunga provide strong
policy guidance because Kadirgamar often took a
legalistic approach and seemed to look for reasons not
to move items forward. Akashi said he hoped that
Kadirgamar received the right message from European
Union Commissioner for External Relations Christopher
Patten when the two meet on May 25.


4. (C) Regarding the June 1 Tokyo Process Co-Chairs
meeting in Brussels, Akashi said it was important for
the international community to use the meeting to send a
strong signal of support for the peace process.
Ambassador Lunstead agreed, commenting that the meeting
could also usefully review the way forward on donor
assistance for the north and east. Given the positive
news that both sides were committed to resuming talks,
Brussels might be a good time for the Co-Chairs to
stress the need for accelerated assistance to the north
and east, but also to reiterate the need for steps to be
taken by local parties, most particularly the LTTE, to
allow unhindered assistance delivery to those in need.
The Tigers had to understand that there were standards
of behavior. The Ambassador remarked that the group
still had a very long way to go. There were still
killings being perpetrated by the LTTE and new reports
were emerging that children were being forcibly inducted
despite a number of releases made last month. In
addition, the LTTE's hard-line tactics during the April
parliamentary election had given the group a real black
eye. The group could have probably won nearly as many
seats without such tactics and it was important that it
start to adhere to democratic practices. Akashi took
that point on board, but commented that it was important
to keep the LTTE hooked on the peace process as a means
of "educating" them. In response to Ambassador's
question, Akashi said that he did not raise these issues
during his meeting with the LTTE.


5. (C) COMMENT: In his meetings with the GSL, Akashi
clearly heard many of the same points that A/S Rocca and
the Norwegian facilitators picked up during their recent
visits (see Reftels). Based on all of these high-level
interactions, our overall sense is that the peace
process appears to be on a slow glide toward a
resumption of talks. That said, everyone agrees that
the situation remains extremely fragile. Local politics
(the JVP, UNP, etc.) could intrude in a negative manner.
At the same time, it is always difficult to fathom what
is going on in the mind of the LTTE. That said, the tea
leaves generally seem favorable at this time and the
June 1 Co-Chairs meeting can help firm things up.
Mission will provide its ideas on areas the Co-Chairs
meeting can usefully focus on via Septel next week. END
COMMENT.


6. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD