NORWEGIANS TIP OFF RESPONSES TO SRI LANKA LETTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000807 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2016 TAGS: PREL MARR PINS PTER CE NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS TIP OFF RESPONSES TO SRI LANKA LETTERS REF: OSLO 759 Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Counselor Doug Apostol, Reasons 1.4(b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. On June 20 we spoke with Tomas Stangeland, Adviser on Sri Lanka matters in the MFA's Peace and Reconciliation Section. As noted in reftel, the Norwegian government submitted letters to both the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) on June 8, raising five common points. Stangeland "informally" revealed to us the parties' answers in advance of the formal response deadline (June 21). The LTTE wants to restructure the composition of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), ousting Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The LTTE will guarantee the SLMM's security and renew its commitment to the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). The GSL answered the Norwegian points affirmatively (although the Norwegians are seeking some "clarifications"). End Summary. The LTTE's Responses (and Norway's Reactions) -------------- ¶2. (C) According to Stangeland, the first LTTE concern is removing the Nordic countries from the SLMM. This move is precipitated by their membership in the European Union, which recently placed the LTTE on its terrorist organization list. The LTTE wants "absolutely impartial" (translate, non-EU) members in the SLMM, which means that only Iceland and Norway would remain. Norway informed the LTTE that it was "likely possible" to remove the EU SLMM members within one month, but it would be impossible to replace them with new members within that period. Norway's June 8 letter proposed a six-month transition phase, which the LTTE rejected and proposed the one month period instead. The LTTE will guaranty the security of the SLMM but emphasizes that the GSL is solely responsible for actions of the rival Koruna faction. ¶3. (C) The LTTE claims that it is committed to the CFA and will remain committed if the GSL supports the CFA "one hundred percent." This troubles the Norwegians, who, as Stangeland notes, believe that neither the LTTE (nor the GSL) have completely followed the CFA. The Norwegians will ask the LTTE to clarify this point, The GSL's Response -------------- ¶4. (C) Stangeland notes that the GSL has answered all the points in the June 8 letter "positively," but added that some matters "needed to be clarified." He could not provide any specifics. Short-term Norwegian Diplomacy -------------- ¶5. (C) The LTTE will meet with the Norwegian Ambassador in Kilinocchi on June 21 to discuss its recent responses. The Norwegians have agreed to host a meeting at the MFA in Oslo on June 29, inviting representatives from the Nordic countries participating in the SLMM to discuss the LTTE's demands. Visit Oslo's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m WHITNEY