SRI LANKA: NEW FOREIGN MINISTER TO MAKE INDIA HIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000175 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: NEW FOREIGN MINISTER TO MAKE INDIA HIS FIRST STOP REF: COLOMBO 0170 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) Summary. Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad informed the Ambassador on January 30 that new Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama is traveling this evening to New Delhi for introductory calls on the Government of India (GOI). Prasad suggested the U.S. and India should combine efforts to encourage the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to resettle internally displaced persons from Vakarai and Trincomalee and formulate a realistic devolution proposal. Prasad has little confidence that the recent United National Party (UNP) crossovers will have any influence on the GSL's approach to the peace process. In his view, the military sincerely believes a military solution is possible. The Indian High Commissioner's priorities track very closely with our own and we will encourage the Indians to work closely with us to encourage a political solution to the ongoing conflict. Bogollagama's meetings in New Delhi will be a good opportunity for the GOI to deliver this message. End Summary. U.S. and India Sending Similar Messages -------------- ¶2. (C) Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad, during a courtesy call on Ambassador Blake on January 30, expressed his desire to work with the U.S. Embassy on furthering the peace process. Prasad feels the combined efforts of the U.S. and India on addressing the humanitarian situation in the North and East and rising civilian casualties with the GSL have yielded some progress, and he suggested that we now focus our combined efforts on encouraging the GSL to resettle internally displaced persons (IDP) and formulate a realistic devolution proposal. Specifically, he wants to see the GSL focus on resettling people in Vakarai and returning some 16,700 of the refugees from southern India to Trincomalee. He recently met with Basil Rajapaksa, the Precedent's brother and advisor, who promised the GSL would work to resettle IDPs in these areas. The GSL is pushing the Indians to locate a planned power plant in Sampur, hoping it will help stabilize the area. Prasad thinks UNP crossover G.L. Peiris might try to push for agreement on broad principles for a political solution, but argued that a detailed, firm devolution proposal is needed. Cabinet Reshuffle: Less Support for Peace -------------- ¶3. (C) Prasad shared his views on the recent cabinet reshuffle and informed the Ambassador that new Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama is traveling this evening to New Delhi for introductory calls on the GOI. Prasad has little confidence that the recent UNP crossovers will have any influence the President's approach to the peace process. He and the Ambassador agreed that the end to the SLFP-UNP Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on the peace process marked a significant blow. Prasad also mentioned that while UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was currently in New Delhi holding meetings with the Indian Government, it was irresponsible for Ranil to always be out of the country, particularly over the last weekend in the midst of such turmoil within his own party. ¶4. (C) Prasad agreed with the Ambassador that a GSL offensive in the North would not be compatible with the All Party Representative Committee's (APRC) efforts to formulate a devolution proposal, but felt the GSL was "probing" now to see what was feasible. In his view, the military sincerely believes a military solution is possible. He commented that both the GSL and the LTTE are overestimating their own strength. ¶5. (C) Prasad suggested that some thought should be given COLOMBO 00000175 002 OF 002 to the role of Tamil political parties such as the Tamil United National Front, People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam, and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) breakaway faction Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). In his view, they need a common platform and more ground presence. He said the GSL plans to support Karuna's TMVP and prop him up as a tool to undercut the Tamil National Alliance. The Ambassador commented that with a UN Security Council working group due to consider in February Allan Rock's report on child abduction and recruiting by the LTTE and Karuna, and with the extensive killings and abductions Karuna is believed to be responsible for, it would likely be difficult for the international community to support any legitimate role for Karuna for the foreseeable future. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: The Indian High Commissioner's priorities track very closely with our own. Bogollagama's meetings in Delhi will be a good opportunity for the GOI to deliver our joint message. BLAKE