AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO SRI LANKAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001474 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SA/INS, USPACOM FOR FPA, USEU FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2016 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV CE SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT, DISCUSSES WAY FORWARD IN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Following Ambassador Blake's presentation of credentials on September 9, he met with President Rajapaksa to review bilateral relations and discuss the way forward to negotiations between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Ambassador reiterated the U.S. call to the GOSL to return to negotiations, stressed that the GOSL must be above reproach in its human rights performance, called on the government to create a positive operating environment for NGOs, and said that continued violence is a disincentive to American companies to do business in Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa expressed his government's readiness to return to negotiations and resume a ceasefire, but assessed that as long as LTTE chief Prabhakaran is on the scene, peace will not be achievable. Foreign Minister Samaraweera added that Prabhakaran himself must agree to a verifiable ceasefire before the government would enter talks. End Summary USG Will Help to Stop Financing Weapons Flow to LTTE -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador Blake met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga for 45 minutes on September 9 after presenting his credentials. The Ambassador noted that the war on terrorism is a top priority for both countries and promised the U.S. will remain a steadfast partner of Sri Lanka in this endeavor. He pointed out that the U.S. early designation of the LTTE as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, our encouragement of other countries and the EU to list the LTTE, the FBI's arrests last month of 15 suspected LTTE supporters on charges of providing arms and finance to the LTTE, the establishment of a contact group to share information among nations where the LTTE is active in arms procurement and fundraising, and USG support for enhancing Sri Lanka's maritime surveillance capabilities are all evidence of our firm commitment to help Sri Lanka in the fight against terrorism. He added that the U.S. hopes it will be possible to increase int 
elligence sharing between Washington and Colombo to further constrict LTTE activities. But There Must Be a Negotiated Settlement -------------- ¶3. (C) The Ambassador stressed, however, the USG's conviction there can be no military solution to the conflict and that Sri Lanka's protracted conflict must be resolved through a negotiated settlement between the two parties. Rajapaksa reiterated his government's readiness to enter into negotiations and said he is actively pursuing a range of political approaches to achieving a settlement, including a committee of legal experts that is examining the constitutional basis for devolution, an all-party conference, and his invitation to the opposition United National Party (UNP) to join in the search for a negotiated settlement. When pressed to provide a deadline for the end of the all-party conference's deliberations, Rajapaksa said he hoped they would finish in two months, but noted that progress had been set back by the assassination last month of the conference's head, Ketesh Loganathan. Rajapaksa stressed his view that as long as LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran is active, there can be no political solution . COLOMBO 00001474 002 OF 003 GOSL Open to Talks But Prabhakaran First Must Agree to Ceasefire -------------- ¶4. (C) Looking ahead to the September 12 Co-Chairs meeting in Brussels and the U.N. General Assembly later this month, the Ambassador asked Rajapaska to outline his strategy for peace. Rather than offering a vision of the way forward, Rajapaksa replied that the GOSL will not go on the offensive militarily, but will defend itself against LTTE aggression. He added that even if LTTE attacks continue, his government will enter into negotiations. Later in the discussion, however, Foreign Minister Samaraweera qualified this assertion, saying that there must be a verifiable, mutual cessation of hostilities, to which Prabhakaran is a party, before the GOSL would return to the negotiating table. He recalled that last time the LTTE halted its attacks was when Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim met with Prabhakaran prior to the February 2006 peace talks in Geneva. Human Rights -------------- ¶5. (C) Turning to human rights, the Ambassador emphasized the importance the US attaches to respect for human rights, adding that U.S. military assistance is contingent on satisfactory human rights performance. Referring to the murder of 17 NGO workers last month in Muttur, the investigation of which the GOSL has been slow to launch, the Ambassador said it is important that Sri Lanka be above reproach on human rights. He reminded Rajapaksa that the U.S. military has recently conducted its own investigations of several cases of human rights abuses by US military forces, which was a difficult, but necessary, process, and urged the GOSL to act in a similar manner. Rajapaksa defended his government's record, and said the GOSL is currently working with Amnesty International to establish a committee of "eminent persons" to oversee the investigation of the Muttur and possibly other cases. NGO Access -------------- ¶6. (C) Pointing out that virtually all USG development assistance and tsunami reconstruction funds for Sri Lanka are channeled through NGOs, the Ambassador observed that many NGOs have voiced serious concerns in recent months about access and freedom of movement in Sri Lanka. He suggested that a statement by the President highlighting the valuable contribution made by NGOs in Sri Lanka could significantly improve the climate. (Note: Co-Chair representatives made the same request of the President in August. To date, Rajapaksa has declined to make such a public pronouncement, although the Foreign Minister and other government officials have done so. End note.) Foreign Minister Samaraweera claimed that Sir Lanka offers one of the most liberal operating environments for NGOs in the world. Presidential Secretary Weeratunga acknowledged that access to conflict SIPDIS zones is restricted due to security concerns, but said in the rest of the country there is full freedom on movement for NGOs. ¶7. (C) The Ambassador noted his strong commitment to promoting U.S. trade and investment in Sri Lanka and told the President that a major U.S. trade mission coming to India in late November would feature a spin-off visit to Sri Lanka. He pointed out that despite Sri Lanka's record of economic openness and strong growth rates, many American companies are COLOMBO 00001474 003 OF 003 hesitant to commit to Sri Lanka as a result of continued violence. He argued that an end of hostilities would provide a strong stimulus to foreign trade and investment. Foreign Minister Samaraweera, in turn, expressed the GOSL's desire to conclude a compact with the Millenium Challenge Corporation as quickly as possible and said he hoped this would be achieved by February 2007. The Ambassador replied that an MCC team will come to Sri Lanka in late September and observed that all parties want to sign a compact as soon as feasible. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Rajapaksa changed the order in which we and four other new chiefs of mission presented credentials so that the Ambassador would go last, allowing time for an extended discussion. While the tone of the meeting was friendly, the GOSL broke no new ground and offered no vision of a way forward on negotiations. As when PDAS Mann met with Rajapaksa on August 17, the President's focus was almost exclusively on the near-term. The GOSL's strongly held view, stated to us on several other recent occasions, that Prabhakaran alone calls the shots for the LTTE is almost certainly accurate. Whether Prabhakaran would agree to meet again in the near future with Erik Solheim remains to be seen, but we believe that is an approach which should be seriously considered at the September 12 Co-Chairs meeting. MOORE