NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT LETTER TO SRI LANKA AND LTTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000591

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV CE
SUBJECT: NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT LETTER TO SRI LANKA AND LTTE


Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) After Co-Chairs meeting April 12 (septel),Norwegian
Ambassador Brattskar grabbed Ambassador privately to pass
copy of letter which Norwegian International Development
Minister Erik Solheim was sending to Sri Lankan President
Rajapaksa. Brattskar said very similar letter would be sent
to LTTE. Brattskar emphasized that he was giving the letter
only to the US as he wanted to avoid leaks to the press.


2. (C) Text of letter:

I thank you for our pleasant and fruitful meeting last week,
and I take the opportunity to wish you a happy New Year.

When Norway was asked in 2000 by the Government of Sri Lanka
and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to take on
the role as facilitator for the peace process in Sri Lanka,
we agreed on the condition that our role would be to support
two parties that both themselves wanted to take the long and
difficult road towards peace. Norway itself has no power to
bring about a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri
Lanka. All we can do is to assist the parties if they
themselves take responsibility for the process and are
sufficiently willing to accept difficult compromises. The
development the last few days is in this light deeply
disturbing.

I am writing to you to express my concern about the fact that
both parties are continually taking steps that are
undermining the confidence of the other party, while
expecting Norway to find solutions to problems that only the
parties themselves can resolve.

When I visited Sri Lanka in January and during the talks in
Geneva in February, the LTTE promised to refrain from
violence towards the Sri Lankan armed forces, including the
use of claymore mines. Meanwhile the Government of Sri Lanka
promised to take the necessary steps to ensure that no armed
groups are allowed to operate in or attack the LTTE from the
Government controlled area. The parties have not kept these
promises.

The parties make the peace process further difficult - also
on minor issues - not being able to show the necessary degree
of flexibility. Instead of considering steps for increasing
confidence between the parties they demand the other party to
make concessions.

I would also like to express, Your Excellency, my concern
about the security of our Embassy personnel and that of the
SLMM. Security is not just a question of taking security
measures, but also of the climate that surrounds the
facilitators and the monitoring mission. Norway's
involvement as facilitator is based on the expectation that
the parties actively explain the facilitator's difficult task
to the respective followers. We are, of course, fully
willing to discuss the way we are carrying out our task.
However, it is unacceptable for unreasonable criticisms of
Norway to be allowed to stand unchallenged, or even to be put
forward by key representatives of the parties.

Unless the parties are quick to seize the opportunities that
have arisen both during my visit in January and in the
positive outcome of the talks in February, there will be very
little Norway can do to bring the peace process forward at
this stage.

We have shown throughout the seven years Norway has been
involved in the peace process that we are willing to stand by
the parties in good times and bad. However, I hope you will
forgive me for pointing out in this letter that the
responsibility for creating peace in Sri Lanka lies with the
parties themselves.

Please accept, Your Excellency, my assurance of the continued
commitment of Norway and the facilitator team. We will
remain at the full disposal of the parties in their
courageous steps towards peace.

LUNSTEAD