VZCZCXRO4851
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #2066/01 3480925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140925Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4918
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 9689
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6625
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 4685
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0350
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 7175
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 2064
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002066 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DRL/IL FOR LAUREN HOLT, STATE FOR SCA/INS, GENEVA PASS 
USTR, ANE BUREAU FOR MARK WARD, MCC FOR S GROFF, D NASSIRY 
AND E BURKE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CE EAID ECON PHUM SOCI
SUBJECT: DONORS PRESS GSL TO FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPMENT FORUM 
 
 
¶1.  Chiefs of Mission of the EU, Norway, Australia, Canada, 
Germany (on behalf of the Finnish EU Presidency), and 
Switzerland and the DCM met on December 12 to develop a joint 
response to the GSL's call to host a development forum in 
late January.  The forum would provide bilateral and 
multilateral donors and the GSL an opportunity to discuss the 
larger context of development assistance in Sri Lanka, issues 
that affect the environment for development activities, and 
the post-tsunami recovery strategy.  Attendees debated two 
responses to the GSL's call for the meeting: (a) delay the 
forum due to increasing hostilities, repeated violations of 
the Ceasefire Agreement, and the poor operating environment 
for NGOs who carry out development assistance, thereby 
signaling the international donor community's disapproval of 
current GSL policies or (b) proceed with the forum but insist 
that the agenda explicitly address human rights, humanitarian 
assistance, and the conflict in the north and east. 
 
¶2.  The German Ambassador, who convened the meeting, noted 
that the advance draft of the GSL's ten-year development 
plan, on which the forum's discussions would be based, was 
severely flawed by its scant treatment of the situation in 
the north and east.  A draft of the second document, a 
two-year report on tsunami reconstruction, that would be 
discussed at the forum has not yet been released. 
 
¶3.  The EU, Germany, and Australia voiced support for 
delaying the forum, while the U.S. and Canada advocated 
moving forward with the event while pushing for changes in 
the agenda and possibly the draft documents themselves. 
Norway and Switzerland favored variations on these two 
approaches.  The DCM stressed that the proposed meeting would 
provide an opportunity to engage the GSL on the fundamental 
issues of human rights, humanitarian assistance, and the need 
for a negotiated settlement to the conflict as they relate to 
development assistance.  It was decided to move ahead with 
the event in late January and press for changes in the 
agenda.  The German Embassy will send a note verbale to 
President Rajapaksa welcoming the forum, but requesting that 
human rights, humanitarian assistance, and the conflict in 
the north and east figure prominently in the proceedings. 
The text of the note verbale, currently being circulated in 
draft, follows in para 6. 
 
¶4.  In a separate meeting the same day, Treasury Secretary 
P.B. Jayasundara briefed representatives of the World Bank, 
Asian Development Bank, the Japanese Embassy, the Canadian 
High Commission/International Development Agency (CIDA) and 
USAID on the proposed development forum.  He stressed that 
the high degree of importance the GSL attaches to the event 
(several ministers will attend and President Rajapaksa may 
participate in one or more sessions) and called for 
senior-level representation by the multilateral and bilateral 
donors.  (The Ambassador and USAID director plan to attend.) 
He announced that the event is tentatively scheduled to be 
held in Galle on January 29-30.  Jayasundara, in response to 
pointed queries from donor representatives, committed to 
giving human rights, humanitarian assistance, and the 
conflict in the north and east a prominent place in the 
agenda.  (Note:  This is a positive departure from the GSL 
position in July when they would not entertain agenda items 
in these key areas.  Jayasundara also stated that he and his 
staff would engage local government, non-governmental 
organizations, donors and trade unions in a consultative 
process to get their views on the GSL 10-year plan before the 
development forum in January.  End Note) 
 
¶5.  We will continue, in coordination with other donors, to 
press the GSL to ensure that these issues, which are 
essential to a coherent development framework, are fully 
incorporated in the agenda for the upcoming forum. 
 
¶6.  Text of note verbale to President Rajapaksa: 
 
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany presents it 
compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the 
Democratic Socialist Republc of Sri Lanka and has the honour 
to communicatethe following: 
 
The Embassy of the Federal Republc of Germany requests the 
 
COLOMBO 00002066  002 OF 002 
 
 
Ministry of Foreign affairs of the Democratic Socialist 
Republic of Sri Lanka to submit to the President and Ministry 
of Finance the conclusions of a discussion that 
was held by the Heads of Mission of Australia, Canada, the 
European Commission, Norway, Switzerland, the United States 
and Germany representing the European Union Member States. 
 
The above mentioned countries referred to the proposal of 
your government to hold a Development Forum in January 2007. 
The countries see this as an opportunity for a constructive 
and vibrant debate with the government on the development 
challenges your country faces and on how development partners 
are assisting.  We have received one core document on the 
Mahinda Chintana Vision 2006-16 and look forward to receiving 
the Tsunami Two Years After report shortly. 
 
The countries particularly welcomed the willingness expressed 
by the government to propose within the agenda of the 
Development Forum a substantial section of the meeting to 
discuss three clear and pivotal agenda points that shape 
development prospects and cooperation - namely, Humanitarian 
Assistance issues including the need for access, Human Rights 
issues and the prospects for peace.  We wish to underline the 
importance of inclusion of these points which will ensure 
that our meeting on your development strategy will be 
productive and focused. 
 
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany avails itself 
of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka the 
assurance of its highest consideration. 
BLAKE