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RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2016 
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV CE
SUBJECT: HANSSEN-BAUER EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT CRITICISM OF 
NORWAY 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer met briefly 
with Co-Chair Ambassadors to compare notes before he begins a 
trip to Kilinochchi to meet with the LTTE on December 2. 
After two days of meetings with Government and civil society 
representatives in Colombo, he expressed concern about 
growing government-inspired criticism of Norway.  He cited 
the following to support his concern: 
 
-- rumors from several sources that some in the Government 
believe that Hanssen-Bauer personally helped draft LTTE 
leader Prabhakaran's Heroes Day speech; 
 
-- an interview in the November 27 edition of the 
Government-controlled Daily News newspaper of Colonel Karuna, 
head of the faction that broke away from the LTTE and is 
widely believed to be in collusion with the Government, in 
which Karuna made several outrageous claims.  First Karuna 
alleged that Erik Solheim gave Prabhakaran a television with 
a 6-foot screen, which Prabakharan used to watch movies, 
among them Day of the Jackal, which Karuna claims gave 
Prabhakaran the inspiration to assassinate former Foreign 
Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.  The Daily News journalist then 
asked the leading question whether Norway had provided the 
LTTE other support.  Karuna alleged that Solheim gave LTTE 
leader Balasingham 16 million Norwegian kroners after the 
signing of the 2002 cease fire agreement.  The LTTE used that 
money to buy arms, according to Karuna.  Karuna also alleged 
that the LTTE helped Solheim buy a house in Oslo and that 
Solheim repeatedly told Prabhakaran that Norway was "with the 
LTTE."  Hanssen-Bauer said the Norwegian Embassy had 
dispatched a letter to the Daily News to categorically deny 
all these allegations. 
 
-- Norwegian Ambassador Brattskar added that the text of the 
Karuna interview actually appeared briefly on the public 
website of the Ministry of Defense, which Norway protested. 
The interview was subsequently removed. 
 
-- After the Norwegian Embassy's denial, the December 1 
edition of the Daily News published yet another more detailed 
rebuttal by Karuna of the Norwegian denial.  He claimed 
Solheim might not have disclosed his gift of the TV to 
Prabhakaran to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry because he gave 
the gift in Bangkok.  To quote Karuna further:  "When I was 
with our delegation in Bangkok, Tamilselvan Tharmalingham, 
alias KP, the key agent purchasing arms for the Tigers, to 
the Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok and money was paid to him to 
purchase the TV on behalf of Erik Solheim."  Karuna further 
alleges that $100,000 worth of radio equipment was brought in 
to Sri Lanka under diplomatic cover in December 2002 by then 
Norwegian Ambassador Westborg.  Hanssen-Bauer vehemently 
denied these charges as well and posed the reasonable 
question why this government controlled paper would openly 
give Karuna the space to circulate such scurrilous 
allegations. 
 
-- Hanssen-Bauer also was disturbed that in contrast to all 
his previous visits to Colombo, the head of the GSL Peace 
Secretariat Kohona was not available to meet him, although 
 
SIPDIS 
several other Ministers did.  However, when Hanssen-Bauer 
asked these other Ministers whether the Government had any 
message for him to convey to the LTTE on issues such as the 
opening of the A-9 road (for example), they all said no, 
speak to Kohona. 
 
2,.  (C) Ambassador regretted such underhanded tactics by the 
Government, but told Hanssen-Bauer that no one in the 
 
COLOMBO 00002014  002 OF 002 
 
 
Government had ever criticized Norway's role to the U.S. 
during his tenure, perhaps because the United States availed 
itself of every private and public opportunity to express 
support for Norway's facilitation efforts.  Other Co-Chair 
Ambassadors said they also had not heard any criticism from 
the GSL of Norway. 
 
¶3.  (C) Comment:  it may be that this marks the ramping up of 
a previously more subtle effort to undercut Norway.  We shall 
continue to use every opportunity to express support for the 
efforts both of Norway and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission 
and recommend Washington do the same in its meetings with Sri 
Lankan officials. 
BLAKE