NORWEGIANS: JOINT MECHANISM ABOUT TO HAPPEN!

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000635

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PINS CU NO LTTE
SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS: JOINT MECHANISM ABOUT TO HAPPEN!
REALLY! BUT MAYBE NOT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS


Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reason 1.4 (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Norwegian Ambassador thinks both sides are
close to agreement on Joint Mechanism, but it may not be
finalized until after mid-April holidays. "Off shore" issue
is sole remaining dispute. Kumaratunga may conclude
agreement as President, not on behalf of current government.
Both sides continue to violate Cease Fire Agreement. END
SUMMARY

Joint Mechanism: Close But not Yet There
--------------


2. (C) Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattsker told Ambassador
March 31 that "good things are happening" on the Joint
Mechanism proposal. The two sides, he said, are
"extraordinarily close" to agreement, but (in a bit of a
non-sequitor) the discussions are "dragging on." The only
thing remaining is the "off shore issue," referring to the
question of who will control activities offshore. Brattsker
said that he had told both sides they might want to just drop
that issue entirely. The Tigers had already done some "off
shore" work in their areas, like rebuilding of jetties. They
were afraid this work could be jeopardized if they did not
have a clause, but Brattsker thought that was not so.


3. (C) Brattsker said that Special Envoy Eric Solheim had
met with LTTE Political Chief Tamilchelvan in Oslo on Monday.
Tamilchelvan indicated the LTTE had some concerns, and that
he needed to talk to Prabhakaran. Brattsker speculated that
this might not be possible until after the Sinhala/Tamil New
Year on April 13-14. Hence no agreement until after then.


4. (C) Brattsker also said that he needed to be sure that
President Kumaratunga was as ready to go ahead as she had
been the last time he saw her. He was having dinner with
Kumaratunga that same night and would get a sense then. He
speculated that she might need "at least two weeks" to get
her political house in order before signing an agreement. He
said that Kumaratunga now might be planning to handle the JVP
problem by stating that she was concluding the agreement
using her powers as President and the mandate she received in
the Presidential election of 1999. This would distance it
from the current Government, elected in 2004, of which the
JVP is a part. (This strategy was front-paged in one local
daily today.)

Cease Fire Problems
--------------


5. (C) Brattsker said he continues to be concerned about the
Cease Fire Agreement (CFA),where there were problems on both
sides. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had tried
five or six times to visit the new LTTE airstrip and had been
turned down, which violated the CFA. On the other side, the
SLMM had visited three times the camp in Government territory
of LTTE breakaway Karuna, which had been reported in local
media. The SLMM even had a photo of a GSL soldier standing
right outside the camp, and a Sri Lankan Army camp was only
500 meters distant. The existence of this camp was also a
clear violation of the CFA. Brattsker also said it was
disturbing that President Kumaratunga repeatedly stated that
she had given the military orders not to support Karuna. The
implication was that she was either a liar or did not have
control over the military. Either case was disturbing.

Comment
--------------


6. (C) Brattsker and the Norwegians continue to push ahead
doggedly. What he appeared to imply is that both sides are
close, but that each has to make sure it has political cover,
and this will take some time. As a result, neither side
seems to be in a great hurry.
LUNSTEAD