75589 8/21/2006 13:42 06NEWDELHI5801 Embassy New Delhi CONFIDENTIAL 06SECSTATE95451 "VZCZCXRO6255
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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC" "C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 005801
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, PINR, PBTS, CE, IN
SUBJECT: SRI LANKANS SEEK MORE INDIAN INVOLVEMENT
REF: SECSTATE 95451
Classified By: A/PolCouns Atul Keshap for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner A. Sabarulla Khan delivered an Aide Memoire to Acting PolCouns August 21, using the occasion to mention that the same note had been recently delivered to the GOI and that MEA Joint Secretary Mohan Kumar received it positively and endorsed the notion of forming the two contact groups. (NOTE: the Memorandum was a rehash of the details on forming two separate contact groups to monitor LTTE activities - see REFTEL.) The Indians had already told us when we delivered REFTEL in June that they were positively inclined toward this plan. Khan said that the GOSL is pressing the Indians to come up with more concrete plans for resolution of the ongoing conflict and more movement on the contact groups concept. COMMENT: The Sri Lankans are clearly looking to the U.S. for help here in Delhi to build pressure on the Indians to do more. END COMMENT.
2. (U) Text of Aide Memoire follows below:
BEGIN NOTE TEXT:
The continued and unacceptable behaviour by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has led to the need for the international community to take specific deterrent action against that entity. The most recent identification at the international level of the LTTE as a terrorist organization, has been that by the European Union.
The State Department of the United States of America has taken the initiative of establishing two international Contact Groups to monitor and place pressure on the LTTE's activities of illegal fundraising and illicit arms procurement. The Contact Groups are as follows:
- Contact Group on illicit fund raising; - Contact Group on arms procurement.
The Contact Groups are to have the following membership:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Sri Lanka authorities for their part have established a Constitutional and Legal Experts Committee to service the All Party Conference Sub Committee on Constitutional Reforms. Works is progressing in order to arrive at a framework for devolution that will facilitate a political solution. The Permanent Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights, which are responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights in Sri Lanka have also been reconvened from 25th May 2006 onwards. These Committees meet on a regular basis to deal with and follow up on issues.
The Government of Sri Lanka is of the firm conviction that the solution to the national issue can be sought only through political means. It therefore rejects any suggestions that the international measures the monitoring and placing pressure as necessary, would encourage any military options by any one. The Government is firm in its commitment to press ahead with its search for a political solution based on
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democracy and human rights, which meet the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka, while also preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
Given the above context, the Government of Sri Lanka would greatly value the support of the Government of India for the initiative taken by the State Department of Unite States and the comprehensive participation of India in the work of the two Contact Groups.
END NOTE TEXT.
PYATT
