OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 076 (05/26/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000877

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/26/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV LTTE
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 076 (05/26/04)


Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d).

CONTENTS: CALL FROM OPS CENTER RE SOLHEIM VISIT
- KADIRGAMAR REPORTEDLY OFF TO INDIA SOON


CALL FROM OPS CENTER RE SOLHEIM VISIT
--------------

1. (C) FYI. We received a call today from the Ops
Center asking whether President Kumaratunga's
rescheduling of her planned meeting with visiting GoN
envoy Erik Solheim was a deliberate snub. (The meeting
was slated to take place on May 25 and is now scheduled
to take place later this week, from what we have heard.)
We have tried to call the Norwegian Embassy to ask about
the situation, but embassy personnel are out with
Solheim, who is scheduled to meet with the Tigers today
(May 26) in the Vanni. We told the Ops Center that we
have not seen any indications that the rescheduling of
the meeting was meant as any sort of snub, however,
since the President apparently was late returning from a
trip to Kandy. The President is certainly capable of
delivering this type of snub and she has done so in the
past. That said, she has been trying to be nice to the
Norwegians of late and we see no reason she would be
nasty to Solheim. And, as we experience regularly
ourselves, sudden cancellations of or long waits for
Presidential appointments are the norm here. FYI - the
Ambassador will meet with Solheim Friday. (POL)


KADIRGAMAR REPORTEDLY OFF TO INDIA SOON
--------------

2. (SBU) FYI. The papers are reporting that FM
Kadirgamar is planning to visit India shortly to meet
with the new government. We are trying to confirm the
reports with the MFA. (Kadirgamar visited New Delhi
right after the UPFA electoral triumph in April, meeting
with the then-BJP government.) (POL)

LUNSTEAD