By Colombo Telegraph –
“Akashi agreed that the All Parties process is a “slender hope that should not be discounted” and urged the Co-Chairs to press President Rajapaksa to use all his energies to bolster the process and sell its final proposal. Akashi said the international community should not try to isolate Rajapaksa, but rather capitalize on whatever positive actions emerge. Although Akashi felt All Parties Chairman Vitarana may be overconfident about the All Parties process, Vitarana is also highly competent. If and when the All Parties reach a consensus, the Co-Chairs should press Rajapaksa to push the package through parliament and a referendum quickly.” the US Embassy Oslo informed Washington.
Akashi at Temple Trees .Picture by Chandana Perera
A Leaked “CONFIDENTIAL” US diplomatic cable, dated July 24, 2007, recounts the details of a meeting the representatives of the Sri Lanka Co-Chairs (United States, European Union, Japan, and Norway) had in Oslo on June 29,2007 to discuss the developments in Sri Lanka.The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database which is classified by DCM Kevin M. Johnson.
“Japanese Special Representative Yasushi Akashi led the discussion on development assistance. The largest aid donor to Sri Lanka, Japan reported that total aid flows to Sri Lanka fell from $1.6 billion in 2005 to $1.5 billion in 2006 (reflecting a decrease in tsunami recovery assistance). The Japanese also revealed that because all of their longstanding aid in concessionary yen loans, the value of Sri Lankan repayments on such loans exceeds the value of the new money Japan is allocating. The Co-Chair participants agreed that external humanitarian assistance to the civilian population should continue. However, development assistance for the east should await an improvement in the security situation in the East and improved access for international non-governmental organizations. Co-Chairs and other donors must also press for improved humanitarian access to the Vanni region. Several participants expressed concern that the Government equates aid with support for its policies. The EU noted that it plans to increase aid, channeled through the government, conditioned on the improvement of the political situation. Norway suggested engaging China in aid discussions. The EU suggested such a dialogue be conducted in Brussels where recent engagement with China on Africa has proved productive.” the US embassy Oslo further wrote.
Related posts to this cable;
WikiLeaks: GSL And LTTE Not Interested In Diplomatic Niceties – Solheim To Co-Chairs In 2007
WikiLeaks: Solheim Presented Five Points Plan To Present To The GoSL And Tigers
WikiLeaks: Boucher Noted The Difficulty In “Reading” Prabhakaran
Ponnu / October 20, 2012
Akashi made many visits to the island during the ceasefire period and is suspected to have given information of theco-ordinates of VP’s reidence and other important targets to the Govt.
In exchange he was rewarded with gems every time he met the President.
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Piranha / October 20, 2012
At the end Rajapaksa fooled all of them. The all paty exercise was a sham and yet even now the Indians, americans, EU and Japan are harping on about the PSC. It will drag on for years and will be filed at the back of the cupboard in Rajapaksa’s study at Temple Trees. The TNA has wisened up to Rajapaksa’s devious tactics but Akashi, Manmohan et all are clinging onto a no-hope PSC.
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Suranga Amarasekera / October 21, 2012
The International Community should continue to side line the Leader of the corrupt, lawless Banana Republic and treat him like a common criminal until such time it is reverted back to democratic Sri Lanka.
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Narmal Samarasinghe / October 21, 2012
We agree. The Country is heading towards a dangerous family Dictatorship. Unless the International Community pressure the leader of this Banana Republic, the innocent civilians will silently suffer.
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Senguttuvan / October 22, 2012
The experienced and omnipresent Akashi-san must know it is not the international community that is isolating the Rajapakses. The Rajapakses themselves are doing it by their notorious double-speak – a reputation that will backfire on you if you are in the saddle for as long as the Rajapakses have and still yearn for respect and honour in the global theatre.
Senguttuvan
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F.L. Waiting / October 22, 2012
It’s great to to see vast development and increased tourist arrivals after the Tamil terrorism was defeated. In fact Sri Lanka has now become one of the most sought after destination for tourists from the west as well as from the east.
In my recent visits I was amazed at the pace at which the country is developing and how tourists flock to the country. However, there’s more to go in our journey.
President Rajapakse and his team should be commended for sweetly vaporizing the Tamil terrorists and creating opportunities for all Sri Lankans to prosper.
All enemies, both local and foreign are still planning, hoping and praying that the president and his team would fall to begin their attacks… but I do not think they have any chance for the next 5000 years.
OMG… how can I forget how weak, helpless and insulted I felt when the Tamil terrorists were butchering my brothers and sisters for 30 years!!!!
Members of the Tamil Terrorists Diaspora, the TTD should also thank the Sri Lankan leaders and the proud SLDF for giving an opportunity for the Tamil terrorists to scream 3 times ‘Tamil Elaam’, before they were vaporized.
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Palayandi / October 25, 2012
FL Waiting,
As you have admitted “how can I forget how weak, helpless and insulted I felt when the Tamil terrorists were butchering my brothers and sisters for 30 years!!!!, you were “waiting” until all international
actors joined together to support the SL Govt. to eliminate the LTTE
mainly because Indian ruling clique led by Sonia had a grudge against VP.
However the internatinal community (except the totalitarian regimes
Russia , Cnina, Iran Libya) had hoped to help solve the ethnic probbem, and never expected the massacre of innocent Tamils.
Our president who bribed VP to win the first presidential election by dubious means was bent at winning the war to enable him to fool the masses and get re-elected, appointing his family members and 200 odd relatives controling the economy now, has sold the country to the Chinese.
Our future generations will have to settle the debt to the Chinese.
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gamini / October 22, 2012
For everyones information, Akashi is part of the International Group that helped MR then and now trying to cover up. The bigger picture of events can not be seen by the small people of this country, who only see a War Victory.
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Samson / October 22, 2012
They the japanese in general are master hypocrites as no other so called developed nations are. See how they covered up the recent massive nuclear emissions set through the collapse of their power station – the danger predicted by researchers is clearly multiple times than was reported – The health threats against anyone who are from the close mile radius in terms of facing future blood cancers are really high. But their international politics help them sweep the incident under the carpet as no many would even remember it today. Chenobyl´s and Bopal´s emissions caused many to count with unexpected life threats should not be forgotten easily.
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Samson / October 22, 2012
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Raja / October 22, 2012
A Thirty year conflict with a brutal force like the Tigers, which dilocsted the progress of Tamils in the Noth and East and the rest of the people in the whole of SriLanka, cannot be solved within 3 years. Look around and one would see the recently concluded conflicts where NATO and USA/UK had intervened, such as the ridding of Sadam Hussein from Iraq; Gadafi from Libya; Taliban from Afganistan, but have miserably failed to usher in peace and economic progres and a far cry from the progress achieved in Sri Lanka within just 3 years.
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Gamini Chandra / October 22, 2012
Exactly.Well put.
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