WikiLeaks: Menon Proposed That The US And India Coordinate Closely To Press The GSL
By Colombo Telegraph -September 3, 2012
Menon - File photo: V.V.Krishnan
“Menon proposed that the U.S.andIndiawork with the UN, EU,Japanand others interested in the situation inSri Lankato address the humanitarian effort on an urgent basis and, further, that theU.S.andIndiacoordinate closely to press the GSL to move on a generous political engagement with northern Tamils. The international community should now provide theSri Lankagovernment with a set of benchmarks which would clearly set out expectations for how to proceed with reconstruction and push the GSL to treat the Tamils humanely. Menon agreed with the Charge that this especially was a time for the international community to be unified in the signal it sent toColombo, adding ‘This is a huge point. Unless we do it now together, later we’ll be catching up and trying to clean up.’” the US Embassy New Delhi informed US Secretary of State and 18 otherUSoffices including the White House and the CIA.
A Leaked “CONFIDENTIAL” US diplomatic cable, dated April 23, 2009, recounts the details of a meeting US officials in New Delhi, India has had with Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon. The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database.
Chargé d’Affaires Peter Burleigh met with Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon April 23 for a discussion on the urgent humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka and its ramifications forIndia and wrote “Menon began the conversation by noting that External Affairs Minister Mukherjee had requested a telephone call to Secretary Clinton for later in the day. Mukherjee will expressIndia’s concerns over the situation in Sri Lanka and propose to the Secretary that the U.S. andIndia coordinate on an international response which would force the GSL to take appropriate political steps to bring stability to Sri Lanka and a return to normalcy in the Tamil regions. Menon said he hoped the outcome of the telephone call would be that the leadership on both sides would signal to the working level to coordinate and take action. Menon noted EAM Mukherjee’s actions the night before, where he had called a cabinet meeting to discussSri Lanka, with the cabinet deciding to make a new appeal to the GSL to pause military operations and provide relief to civilians trapped in the combat. Menon denied press rumors that Sri Lankan Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa was visiting India, saying India had told Rajapaksa he would be welcomed but only if he had a significant new message.”
“Describing the Sri Lankan government as being “in its moment of victory,” Menon saidIndiadid not feel a sense of urgency by the GSL to start plans for reconstructing the north and allowing internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their lands or re-establish a “normal” existence. IDPs are currently being herded into camps, and Menon worried that without international presence on the ground, such as the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the government would keep the IDPs effectively locked up. ‘That’s where the international community can help,’ Menon said, agreeing with the Charge that, if left unchecked, the GSL would be unlikely to rehabilitate the region.” Peter Burleigh further wrote.