Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08COLOMBO706
2008-07-22 12:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: LTTE DECLARES UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO3204 OO RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #0706/01 2041204 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221204Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8441 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1017 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8008 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 6181 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4496 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2181 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 4459 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3560 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 8614 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6059 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0721 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2877 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000706
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LTTE DECLARES UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE FOR
SAARC SUMMIT
REF: COLOMBO 660
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000706
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LTTE DECLARES UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE FOR
SAARC SUMMIT
REF: COLOMBO 660
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The LTTE announced that it will observe a
unilateral ceasefire during the SAARC summit from July 26 to
August 4, but warned that it would continue to respond to any
government offensives with defensive actions. The Sri Lankan
government has reacted warily to the ceasefire declaration
and does not plan to reciprocate at a time when it feels it
is gaining the upper hand militarily. Officials repeated the
GSL's recent position that it would not enter into peace
talks until the LTTE commits to disarming. End summary.
2. (U) The LTTE announced on July 21 that it will observe a
unilateral ceasefire during the SAARC summit from July 26 to
August 4, but peace talks remain "impossible" according to P.
Nadesan, the rebels' political chief. While the statement
extended good wishes for the success of the summit, it warned
that if the Sri Lankan Army carried out any offensives the
LTTE would "be forced to take defensive actions."
3. (U) The government reacted warily to the LTTE's
declaration of a ceasefire, with Defense spokesperson
Keheliya Rambukwella saying the government would not fall
into this LTTE "trap." Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat head
Rajiva Wijesinha noted that the LTTE has previously used
ceasefires to recoup its strength. Foreign Minister Rohitha
Bogollagama stated that the government "is not bound to" the
LTTE's ceasefire and noted that the matter was not under
discussion in Parliament.
4. (U) The state-owned Sinhala newspaper Dinamina quoted
Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa as saying that the LTTE
had suffered major setbacks recently. The government
therefore had no motivation to enter into a ceasefire at
present, according to the article. While the government has
stated in the past that it would be willing to restart peace
talks if the rebels ceased their attacks, Rajapaksa stressed
that this could not occur until the LTTE lays down all arms
and agrees to a political process defined by the government
(ref A).
5. (U) LTTE political wing head Nadesan called the condition
of disarmament "naive" and "impractical," adding that he did
not consider the military's latest victories in Vidathalthivu
and Illupakadavai to be significant threats to the LTTE's
struggle. "We have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to
convert the Sri Lankan government offensives into our favor,"
he told press yesterday. Nadesan reiterated the LTTE's
invitation to the Norwegian facilitators to come to
Kilinochchi for further discussions (ref A).
6. (SBU) The Norwegian Charge told Ambassador that Norway
had indeed received the LTTE's declaration of a unilateral
ceasefire and had conveyed the information to the government
of Sri Lanka. However, she said that the Norwegian
government had not yet reached a decision about issuing a
public statement welcoming the ceasefire.
7. (C) Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona told Ambassador late
on July 22 that the government had learned not to accept the
LTTE's moves at face value. During numerous previous
ceasefires, the LTTE had always used the opportunity to
regroup and rearm, he said. Ambassador pointed out that the
President's statement that the LTTE must disarm before
commencing talks was a non-starter; the IRA and other groups
were not asked to do so, and the insurgent group would be
giving away its only bargaining chip. Kohona responded that
the GSL believes the LTTE had to commit to a "process of
demobilization" before any new talks could take place.
8. (C) COMMENT: Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa's
COLOMBO 00000706 002 OF 002
statement the government would not join the LTTE in observing
a temporary ceasefire during the SAARC summit appears at
least superficially inconsistent with previous GSL positions
that the purpose of its offensive was to weaken the LTTE and
force it into talks. While we consider any ceasefire
declaration a welcome development and hope that the LTTE will
indeed refrain from carrying out terrorist attacks during the
summit, we doubt that the LTTE's announcement will create any
early movement toward a negotiated settlement. Embassy plans
for now to refrain from issuing a public statement on the
LTTE move in order to avoid getting out in front of the
Norwegian mediators.
BLAKE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LTTE DECLARES UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE FOR
SAARC SUMMIT
REF: COLOMBO 660
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The LTTE announced that it will observe a
unilateral ceasefire during the SAARC summit from July 26 to
August 4, but warned that it would continue to respond to any
government offensives with defensive actions. The Sri Lankan
government has reacted warily to the ceasefire declaration
and does not plan to reciprocate at a time when it feels it
is gaining the upper hand militarily. Officials repeated the
GSL's recent position that it would not enter into peace
talks until the LTTE commits to disarming. End summary.
2. (U) The LTTE announced on July 21 that it will observe a
unilateral ceasefire during the SAARC summit from July 26 to
August 4, but peace talks remain "impossible" according to P.
Nadesan, the rebels' political chief. While the statement
extended good wishes for the success of the summit, it warned
that if the Sri Lankan Army carried out any offensives the
LTTE would "be forced to take defensive actions."
3. (U) The government reacted warily to the LTTE's
declaration of a ceasefire, with Defense spokesperson
Keheliya Rambukwella saying the government would not fall
into this LTTE "trap." Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat head
Rajiva Wijesinha noted that the LTTE has previously used
ceasefires to recoup its strength. Foreign Minister Rohitha
Bogollagama stated that the government "is not bound to" the
LTTE's ceasefire and noted that the matter was not under
discussion in Parliament.
4. (U) The state-owned Sinhala newspaper Dinamina quoted
Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa as saying that the LTTE
had suffered major setbacks recently. The government
therefore had no motivation to enter into a ceasefire at
present, according to the article. While the government has
stated in the past that it would be willing to restart peace
talks if the rebels ceased their attacks, Rajapaksa stressed
that this could not occur until the LTTE lays down all arms
and agrees to a political process defined by the government
(ref A).
5. (U) LTTE political wing head Nadesan called the condition
of disarmament "naive" and "impractical," adding that he did
not consider the military's latest victories in Vidathalthivu
and Illupakadavai to be significant threats to the LTTE's
struggle. "We have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to
convert the Sri Lankan government offensives into our favor,"
he told press yesterday. Nadesan reiterated the LTTE's
invitation to the Norwegian facilitators to come to
Kilinochchi for further discussions (ref A).
6. (SBU) The Norwegian Charge told Ambassador that Norway
had indeed received the LTTE's declaration of a unilateral
ceasefire and had conveyed the information to the government
of Sri Lanka. However, she said that the Norwegian
government had not yet reached a decision about issuing a
public statement welcoming the ceasefire.
7. (C) Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona told Ambassador late
on July 22 that the government had learned not to accept the
LTTE's moves at face value. During numerous previous
ceasefires, the LTTE had always used the opportunity to
regroup and rearm, he said. Ambassador pointed out that the
President's statement that the LTTE must disarm before
commencing talks was a non-starter; the IRA and other groups
were not asked to do so, and the insurgent group would be
giving away its only bargaining chip. Kohona responded that
the GSL believes the LTTE had to commit to a "process of
demobilization" before any new talks could take place.
8. (C) COMMENT: Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa's
COLOMBO 00000706 002 OF 002
statement the government would not join the LTTE in observing
a temporary ceasefire during the SAARC summit appears at
least superficially inconsistent with previous GSL positions
that the purpose of its offensive was to weaken the LTTE and
force it into talks. While we consider any ceasefire
declaration a welcome development and hope that the LTTE will
indeed refrain from carrying out terrorist attacks during the
summit, we doubt that the LTTE's announcement will create any
early movement toward a negotiated settlement. Embassy plans
for now to refrain from issuing a public statement on the
LTTE move in order to avoid getting out in front of the
Norwegian mediators.
BLAKE