Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06COLOMBO134
2006-01-23 15:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

SRI LANKA: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER KUNR IR CE 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000134 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KUNR IR CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH
PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA


Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).

-------
SUMMARY
--------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000134

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KUNR IR CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH
PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA


Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In a January 23 meeting with President Mahinda
Rajapaksa, Under Secretary Burns, accompanied by the
Ambassador, stressed U.S. support for Government of Sri Lanka
(GSL) efforts toward a peaceful resolution to the conflict
and urged Rajapaksa to ensure that Sri Lankan security forces
would demonstrate continued restraint and respect for human
rights. The Under Secretary told the President that the U.S.
is urging the EU and Canada to designate the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as terrorists. He commended
Norway's role as facilitator, noting that he would emphasize
U.S. support for Oslo's efforts in his remarks to the press
after meeting Norwegian International Development Minister
Erik Solheim later in the day. U/S Burns pressed for Sri
Lankan support in the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors
meeting on Iran. While making no commitments about support
for a particular candidate, U/S Burns underscored that the
U.S. wants a new UN Secretary General who can drive a
much-needed reform process. He urged the President to move
ahead quickly on Millennium Challenge Account compact
negotiations. Rajapaksa assured the Under Secretary that the
GSL is committed to resolving the conflict peacefully, but
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) violence is
undermining those efforts. With respect to the February 2
IAEA meeting, Rajapaksa indicated possible support for a
majority position against Iran, observing, "If the whole
world is on one side (against Iran),we can't be on the
other." End summary.

--------------
U.S. SUPPORT FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION
--------------


2. (SBU) Under Secretary R. Nicholas Burns, accompanied by
the Ambassador, called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on
January 23. Also attending the meeting were Deputy Assistant
Secretary for South Asian Affairs John Gastright; P Special

SIPDIS
Assistant Tobin Bradley; Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala,

former head of the Peace Secretariat and Sri Lanka's nominee
for UN Secretary General; and Geetha de Silva, Additional
Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

SIPDIS


3. (C) Under Secretary Burns opened the meeting by
underscoring U.S. support for the Government of Sri Lanka
(GSL) fight against terror and its efforts to find a peaceful
resolution to the conflict with the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The U.S. welcomes GSL willingness to
discuss ways to strengthen the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) with
the LTTE, the Under Secretary said, and expressed hope that
the impasse over a venue would be resolved soon. The U.S.
wants to be as helpful as it can, the Under Secretary
emphasized, and is working hard to ensure that no American
citizens extend support to the LTTE. Noting Norwegian
Development Minister Erik Solheim's upcoming meeting with
LTTE leader Prabhakaran in Kilinochchi January 25, the Under
Secretary said he believes it important to express public

SIPDIS
support for Oslo's role, adding that he would do so in
remarks to the press after meeting Solheim later in the day.
Since the presidential election in November, the GSL has been
more public in its support of Norwegian facilitation,
Rajapaksa replied, asserting that he has managed to "persuade
other partners" of the government to accept Norway's
continued role.


4. (C) As part of its ongoing campaign against terror, the
U.S. is urging the EU and Canada to declare the LTTE
terrorists, the Under Secretary reported, a step that he
described as "long overdue" for the Europeans. To make it
possible for the EU and Canada to designate the LTTE,
however, the GSL must make very clear its respect for the

COLOMBO 00000134 002 OF 003


human rights of the Tamil community and make clear that it
provides no support to anti-LTTE paramilitaries, he stressed.
The Under Secretary highlighted the need for GSL security
forces to show continued restraint despite provocation, a
posture that would allow the GSL to retain the moral high
ground. The President replied that he had invited members of
civil society to join the security forces during their
cordon-and-search operations in order to monitor the human
rights conduct of the police and military. "The Army is
ready to do this," he declared. Rajapaksa added that the
Tamil community in the east was itself divided, with some
supporting the breakaway Karuna faction and others
supporting--generally out of fear rather than genuine
loyalty--the LTTE. He added that Muslims in the east are
also beginning to make their own demands for a role in the
peace process, expressing concern that the situation would
worsen if disaffected Muslims took up arms as well. The
President denied recent speculation that the Sri Lanka Army
(SLA) had sent deep penetration units into LTTE-controlled
territory in the north.


5. (C) The LTTE is hoping to take advantage of GSL
concessions as a sign of weakness, Rajapaksa asserted, but
"we won't bow down to their pressure." The GSL remains ready
to negotiate at any time and is committed to the peace
process, he averred. The Tigers' attitude, on the other
hand, is best discerned through their actions, he observed;
just today--as Solheim and LTTE chief negotiator Anton
Balasingham had arrived for talks--the LTTE attacked an Army
patrol in the eastern district of Batticaloa, killing three
soldiers. The GSL had hoped for greater visible evidence of
support from India, he continued, but India has its "own
political problems with the Tamil Nadu vote, and can't come
out (openly) for us."

--------------
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT
--------------


6. (SBU) The U.S. is proud of the economic assistance it
has provided to Sri Lanka, the Under Secretary said,
especially during the tsunami. Negotiations on a Millennium
Challenge Account (MCA) compact so far show "great promise,"
he observed, and could lead to an agreement worth as much as
USD 500 million. He added that the Director of the
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) had told him recently
that a compact could be signed by August/September if
negotiations proceed smoothly. The Ambassador said that an
MCC team recently in Colombo had good meetings with newly
appointed coordinator Nivad Cabraal, adding that the U.S. is
counting on Cabraal to continue pushing negotiations ahead.
The President said that he would ensure that progress
continues.

--------------
GSL WON'T GO IT ALONE ON IAEA
--------------


7. (C) Turning to Iran's violations of its IAEA commitments,
the Under Secretary said that the U.S. is very much focused
on finding a diplomatic solution. The U.S. had supported
Russian and European diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue,
but the Iranians nonetheless continued to violate IAEA
safeguards. The U.S. needs Sri Lanka's help in getting Iran
to suspend its nuclear efforts, to return to negotiations and
to abide by its IAEA commitments, the Under Secretary
stressed. The U.S. is hoping for a consensus at the upcoming
Board of Governors meeting and has marshaled the support of
the majority of countries, he reported, and is seeking Sri
Lanka's agreement to vote with that majority. Noting that
Iran is the largest financial supporter of Middle Eastern
terrorism, the Under Secretary said that it seems
contradictory that a country like Iran, which champions
terrorism, could claim to be a friend to Sri Lanka, which
faces its own domestic terrorist problem. The President

COLOMBO 00000134 003 OF 003


noted that he had scuttled a USD 150 million defense deal
with the Iranians, negotiated by his predecessor Chandrika
Kumaratunga, after he came into office. The GSL would find
it easier to vote with the U.S. if others went along, the
President indicated. "If the whole world is on one side
(against Iran),we can't be on the other," he concluded. The
Ambassador said that it is important for a democracy like Sri
Lanka to lead the way, not just follow others.

--------------
UN REFORM
--------------


8. (SBU) The Under Secretary pressed for GSL support for UN
reform. While the U.S. has great respect for UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan, the institution has been weakened by
management problems that the new UN Secretary General must
address, he emphasized. The U.S. has made no commitment of
support for a particular candidate for this important role,
the Under Secretary said, but is seeking a candidate who will
"drive the reform process," especially conclusion of the
Terrorism Convention and establishment of the Human Rights
Council. The President expressed general support for UN
reform, noting that Dr. Rohan Perera, a Sri Lankan, chairs
the Terrorism Convention drafting committee.


9. (U) U/S Burns has cleared this cable.
LUNSTEAD