SENATE STAFF (PETER GALBRAITH) VISIT TO SRI LANKA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00005R000700130048-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: February 1, 1988
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/07: CIA-RDP90M00005R000700130048-4
CONFIDENTIAL-
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STATE
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ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
UTS0871
00 RUEHC
DE RUFHCM #1005/01 0430628
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
0 120621Z FEB 88
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7005
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 7461
RUEHMR/AMCONSUL MADRAS PRIORITY 5164
BT
C ONFIDENTIAL COLOMBO 01005
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: OTRA, OREP, PREL, PGOV, CE (GALBRAITH, PETER)
SUBJECT: SENATE STAFF (PETER GALBRAITH) VISIT TO
SRI LANKA
REF: COLOMBO 902
1. CONFIDENTIAL-ENTIRE TEXT.
2. SUMMARY: SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE STAFFER
PETER GALBRAITH HAD A USEFUL AND STIMULATING VISIT TO
SRI LANKA FEBRUARY 6-10. HE HEARD GENERALLY COMPATIBLE
AND CONSTRUCTIVE ANALYSES OF THE PEACE PROCESS UNDER
THE JULY 29 ACCORDS FROM PRESIDENT JAYEWARDENE AND INDIAN
HIGH COMMISSIONER DIXIT, THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS ON THIS
MATTER IN COLOMBO. MEETINGS WITH LEADING UNP FIGURES
AND SLFP LEADERS SIRIMAVO AND ANURA BANDARANAIKE
PROVIDED FURTHER SINHALESE VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT AND
ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION, AS DID DISCUSSIONS WITH
SMALL PARTY LEADERS: VIJAYA KUMARATUNGA OF THE SLMP,
A.C. GOONERATNE AND RUKMAN SENANAYAKE OF THE ELJP,
AND RAJIVA WIJESINHA OF THE LIBERAL PARTY. THE TAMIL
POINT OF VIEW WAS PRESENTED BY KUMAR PONNAMBALAM OF
THE TAMIL CONGRESS, YOGENDRA DURAISWAMY OF THE COUNCIL
OF HINDU ORGANIZATIONS, AND BALA TAMPOE OF THE CEYLON
MERCANTILE (LABOR) UNION. GALBRAITH ALSO SPOKE BRIEFLY
TO MR. P. SOOSAITHASAN OF THE TULF. FEBRUARY 10 WAS
SPENT IN JAFFNA WITH SRI LANKAN AND INDIAN MILITARY
LEADERS TO SEE THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND. END
SUMMARY.
3. CONVERSATION WITH DIXIT WAS REPORTED REFTEL.
PRESIDENT JAYEWARDENE BEGAN HIS FEBRUARY 9 MEETING WITH
WARM GOOD WORDS ABOUT INDIAN PRIME MINISTER RAJIV
GANDHI, WHOM HE HAD JUST SEEN IN NEW DELHI. J.R.
CONTRASTED THE PROGRESS NOW BEING MADE WITH THE TUMUL-
TUOUS AND CONFUSED PRE-JULY 29 SITUATION (WHEN HE SAID,
HE HAD TWICE ORDERED HIS FORCES TO TAKE JAFFNA--"BURN
THE PLACE TO THE GROUND"--AND THEY HAD TALKED HIM OUT
OF IT ON THE GROUNDS OF UNACCEPTABLY HIGH CASUALTIES).
HE MADE CLEAR THAT HE SHARED THE GOI'S IMPLACABLE
HOSTILITY TOWARD PRABAKARAN CALLING THE LTTE LEADER "A
MAD FELLOW." HE STRESSED, THOUGH WITHOUT OBVIOUS
BITTERNESS, THAT NONE OF HIS OUTSIDE FRIENDS WOULD
HELP HIM, SO HE HAD HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE A DEAL
WITH INDIA. HE SAID HE WAS PROUD OF NOT HAVING LOST THE
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INITIATIVE IN LEADING HIS COUNTRY AND ASKED GALBRAITH
TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE CONGRESS THAT HE WAS "DOING THE
BEST HE COULD." HE WAS SPECIFIC IN HIS COMMENT THAT
THERE WOULD BE PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS IN A FEW MONTHS,
ALTHOUGH HE DID MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING THEM
IN SEVEN (I.E., THE SINHALESE) PROVINCES BEFORE THE
OTHER TWO (I.E., TAMIL). ON PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIA-
MENTARY ELECTIONS IN SRI LANKA, HE WAS MORE EVASIVE,
INSISTING SIMPLY THAT HE HAD NOT YET DETERMINED WHAT
TIMING WOULD BE BEST.
4. J.R.'S VIEWS WERE GENERALLY ECHOED IN MEETINGS WITH
FOREIGN MINISTER SHAHUL HAMEED AND MAHAWELI MINISTER
GAMINI DISSANAYAKE. THE FOREIGN MINISTER VOLUNTEERED
THAT HE WAS "SATISFIED WITH THE ACCORDS." HE EMPHASIZED
THAT THE SIDE LETTERS OF THE JULY 29 ACCORDS REQUIRED
NO CHANGE IN U.S.-SRI LANKAN RELATIONS. VOA, PORT CALLS,
AND THE ISRAELI INTEREST SECTION OF THE U.S. EMBASSY
WERE UNAFFECTED. "ALL IS WELL IN U.S.-SRI LANKAN
RELATIONS," SAID HAMEED. ABOUT RELATIONS WITH PAKISTAN,
HE DENIED THAT THE ACCORD AFFECTED RELATIONS AND NOTED
THAT SRI LANKA WAS STILL BEING ASSISTED BY ISLAMABAD
WITH MILITARY TRAINING. HE DEBUNKED THE IDEA THAT SRI
LANKA HAD COME UNDER INDIAN DOMINATION, MENTIONING (BUT
NOT NAMING) SEVENTEEN SPECIFIC DISAGREEMENTS (PRESUMABLY
UN VOTES AND SUCH) BETWEEN INDIA AND SRI LANKA SINCE
THE ACCORDS. ON THE INTERNAL POLITICAL SITUATION,
HAMEED FOCUSED ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY
AND BEMOANED THE FACT THAT POLITICAL PRESSURES WERE
PUSHING MODERATES IN SRI LANKA TO THE WALL. HE ADDED
THAT SLFP OPPOSITION TO THE JULY 29 ACCORD WAS BASED
PRIMARILY ON A DESIRE TO FORCE OUT THE IPKF FOR THE
PURPOSE OF SUBJECTING THE UNP GOVERNMENT TO THE
UNPOPULARITY THAT WOULD RESULT FROM ITS REASSUMPTION
OF THE MILITARY BURDEN OF SUPPRESSING THE TAMIL
MILITANTS.
5. MAHAWELI MINISTER DISSANAYAKE EXPRESSED GRATITUDE
FOR THE U.S. CONTRIBUTION TO THE PRINCIPAL NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND DISCUSSED ITS UTILITY IN
REESTABLISHING COMMUNAL HARMONY. HE INDICATED THAT HE
EXPECTED LITTLE TO COME OF THE SOVIET OFFER OF 75
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MILLION DOLLARS FOR MAHAWELI WORKS, INSISTING THAT HE
COULD NOT GET THE RUSSIANS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE
COMMERCIAL CREDITS (WHICH WERE ALL THEY WOULD OFFER)
WERE NOT ENOUGH. ON THE DOMESTIC FRONT, GAMINI SEEMED
POSITIVELY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF
DEVOLUTION IN THE SINHALESE PROVINCES ON THE GROUNDS
THAT IT WOULD SWITCH POLITICAL POWER OUT OF COLOMBO TO
THE RURAL AREAS WHERE THE SRI LANKAN PEOPLE REALLY
LIVED. ALTHOUGH HE HAS HAD A KEY ROLE IN DISCUSSIONS
WITH INDIA, DISSANAYAKE LIMITED HIS REMARKS ON THE PEACE
PROCESS TO AN EXPRESSION OF HOPE THAT THE U.S. WOULD
NOT BE DISTURBED BY ANY CRITICISMS IT RECEIVED FOR
SUPPORTING THE JULY 29 ACCORDS. IF A CRUNCH CAME, HE
SAID, HE HOPED THAT THE U.S. WOULD SUPPORT ITS FRIEND
SRI LANKA. (THE IMPLICATION SEEMED TO BE THAT A PROBLEM
MIGHT DEVELOP IN GETTING THE IPKF OUT.)
6. AT A LUNCH WITH UNP PARTY STALWARTS, M.P. PAUL
PERERA OPINED THAT THE SURVIVAL OF DEMOCRACY IN SRI
LANKA REQUIRES THAT PRESIDENT JAYEWARDENE STAY IN OFFICE
BEYOND HIS PRESENT TERM. UNP SECRETARY GENERAL RANJAN
WIJERATNE DISCOUNTED THE STRENGTH OF MINOR PARTIES AND
SAID ANY UPCOMING ELECTION WOULD BE A TEST BETWEEN THE
UNP AND THE SLFP. HE WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE ABILITY
OF UNP LEADERS TO EDUCATE AND PERSUADE THE VOTERS
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OVER THE COURSE OF AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN. PERERA,
WIJERATNE, AND DEPUTY MINISTER HARINDRA COREA WERE ALL
CRITICAL OF U.S. TEXTILE QUOTAS AS DEPRESSING SRI
LANKAN DEVELOPMENT.
7. IN SEPARATE BUT BACK-TO-BACK ONE HOUR PRIVATE
MEETINGS WITH MRS. SIRIMAVO BANDARANAIKE AND PARLIA-
MENTARY OPPOSITION LEADER ANURA BANDARANAIKE FEBRUARY 9,
THE SLFP LEADERS DOWNPLAYED THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE
JULY 29 ACCORDS. ANURA NOTED THAT HE WAS NOT MUCH
CONCERNED ABOUT DOMINATION BY INDIA AS SUCH, BUT HE
WAS VERY MUCH WORRIED ABOUT INIMICABLE ACTIVITY BY AND
IN TAMIL NADU. THUS, THERE WAS A NEED TO AMEND THE
JULY 29 SIDE LETTERS TO PROTECT AGAINST SUCH ACTIVITY
BY TAMIL NADU. HIS MOTHER RAISED ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS
TO THE ACCORD, SAYING SHE WOULD NOT DENOUNCE IT BUT
WOULD DEMAND AMENDMENT IF SHE CAME TO POWER. THE PRO-
VISION FOR EVEN TEMPORARY UNITY OF THE NORTH AND EAST
WAS UNACCEPTABLE, SHE SAID. TOO MUCH POWER WAS GIVEN
TO THE PROVINCIAL POLICE; THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE
CHANGED ALSO.
8. MRS. B. CONFIRMED THAT HER PARTY HAD SELECTED HER AS
A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND INDICATED THAT SHE WOULD
RUN IF GIVEN A CHANCE. ASKED WHAT SHE WOULD DO
DIFFERENTLY FROM THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION IF ELECTED,
SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD RESTORE LAW AND ORDER AND AMEND
THE ACCORDS AS INDICATED. SHE FLATLY DENIED A RUMOR
THAT SHE WOULD END U.S. DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE BUT ,
REFUSED TO COMMIT HERSELF ON ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT HER
RUMORED INTENTIONS TO THROW OUT THE PEACE CORPS. ON
THIS, SHE SAID, SHE WOULD MAKE UP HER MIND WHEN THE
TIME CAME. SHE WENT ON TO ASK A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHAT THE PEACE CORPS WAS DOING AND INDICATED A
WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE A BRIEFING ON IT. SHE CRITICIZED
U.S. TEXTILE QUOTAS AS DENYING SRI LANKA A CHANCE TO
DEVELOP MUCH-NEEDED INDUSTRIES. DESCRIBING THE SLFP'S
ECONOMIC POLICY BOTH SIRIMAVO AND ANURA DENIED ANY
INTENTION TO "RENATIONALIZE" BUT INDICATED THEIR INTEN-
TION TO RESTRICT IMPORTS TO PROTECT LOCAL INDUSTRIES--
"LIKE YOU DO." AT THE END OF THE MEETING, MRS. B.
HELD GALBRAITH FOR SOME TIME ASKING ABOUT THE SITUATION
IN AFGHANISTAN AND INDICATING KEEN INTEREST IN SOVIET
INTENTIONS THERE.
9. ON DOMESTIC POLITICS, BOTH MOTHER AND SON EXPRESSED
CONFIDENCE THAT IF THERE WAS A FREE ELECTION NOW, THEY
WOULD WIN IT. ANURA'S JUDGMENT, AFTER SPECULATING ON
VARIOUS "DODGES" J.R. MIGHT UNDERTAKE TO AVOID ELECTIONS,
WAS THAT THE CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIRED PARLIAMENTARY
AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS PROBABLY WOULD BE HELD. HIS
MOTHER WAS LESS OPTIMISTIC, ALTHOUGH SHE RULED OUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF J.R.'S TRYING TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW
"BECAUSE THE MILITARY WOULDN'T STAND FOR IT." ANURA'S
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT HE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY
IF HE WERE PRIME MINISTER WAS PRIMARILY A PARLIAMEN-
TARIAN'S DISCUSSION OF HOW IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO
PREVENT THE PRESIDENT'S AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY TO
PARLIAMENT BY HOLDING KEY MINISTRIES HIMSELF. BOTH
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BANDARANAIKES (AND, INCIDENTALLY, ALL THE UNP POLITICIANS
DISCOUNTED THE POSSIBILITY THAT EITHER THE NEW OR THE
OLD. MINOR PARTIES WOULD HAVE A DECISIVE EFFECT ON
ELECTION RESULTS.
10. AS USUAL, TAMIL SPOKESMEN PRESENTED A MIXED PICTURE
IN THEIR DISCUSSIONS WITH GALBRAITH. KUMAR PONNAMBALAM
OF THE TAMIL CONGRESS PARTY SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN IN
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CONTACT WITH TIGER LEADERS AND THAT THEY SEEMED DETER-
MINED TO CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT. YOGENDRA DURAISWAMY OF
THE COUNCIL OF HINDU ORGANIZATIONS TOLD GALBRAITH IT WAS
IMPORTANT THE UNITED STATES KEEP PRESSURE ON THE GOVERN-
MENT OF SRI LANKA TO ABIDE BY THE TERMS OF THE ACCORD,
SPECIFICALLY CARRYING OUT THE DEVOLUTION OF POWER TO
PROVINCIAL COUNCILS WITHOUT SECOND THOUGHTS. BALA
TAMPOE, PRESIDENT OF THE CEYLON MERCANTILE UNION,
INSISTED THAT THE CURRENT COMMUNAL PROBLEMS IN SRI LANKA
WERE NOT THE PRODUCT OF CENTURIES OF ANIMOSITY, BUT
THE RESULT OF THE PAST 40 YEARS OF DIVISIVE POLITICAL
DECISION-MAKING.
11. IN A PIECE OF FORTUITOUS TIMING, GSL DEFENSE
SECRETARY ATTYGALLE OFFERED THE AMBASSADOR A TRIP TO
JAFFNA THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 8 TO MEET WITH SRI LANKAN
MILITARY LEADERS AT PALALY AIRPORT. HE NOTED, HOWEVER,
THAT THE GSL COULD NOT GUARANTEE SAFETY BEYOND THE
AIRPORT BECAUSE THE IPKF WAS CONTINUING MILITARY OPERA-
TIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE PENINSULA. INDIAN HIGH
COMMISSIONER DIXIT THEN UNDERTOOK TO ARRANGE MEETING
WITH IPKF LEADERS AND A TOUR OF JAFFNA UNDER THEIR
AUSPICES. THE GSL PROVIDED A PLANE TO PALALY, AND
THE AMBASSADOR, ACCOMPANIED BY MR. GALBRAITH AND EMBASSY
POLOFF JOHN DE VLEMING, SPENT FEBRUARY 10 IN THE NORTH,
BEING BRIEFED AT PALALY BY SRI LANKAN REGIONAL COMMANDER
BRIGADIER J. JAYARATNE AND HIS STAFF, FLOWN BY HELI-
COPTER TO JAFFNA FOR A TOUR OF THE TOWN, TAKEN ABOUT
THERE BY IPKF BRIGADIER KALHON, AND HOSTED TO LUNCH BY
MAJOR GENERAL S.C. SARDESHPANDE, NEW IPKF COMMANDER
AND HIS STAFF.
12. WHILE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THEIR SEPARATENESS (THE
SRI LANKAN ARMY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PALALY AND THE
TOWNS OF KANKESANTURAI AND POINT PEDRO, WHILE THE
INDIANS HANDLE THE REST OF THE PENINSULA), THE TWO
-SERVICES CLEARLY ARE GETTING ON WELL TOGETHER--AT LEAST
AT THE COMMAND LEVEL. BRIGADIER JAYARATNE VOLUNTEERED
THAT THE IPKF IS DOING A JOLLY GOOD JOB IN JAFFNA,"
AND SAID THAT THE IPKF AND THE SLA WERE "GETTING ALONG
FAMOUSLY, LIKE A HOUSE ON FIRE." HE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE
OF THE DETAILS OF IPKF ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
BUT LATER OBLIGINGLY DROVE THE AMERICAN PARTY SLOWLY
BY THE DETENTION CENTER WHERE THE IPKF IS HOLDING AND
INTERROGATING LTTE PRISONERS. THE IPKF OFFICERS WERE
WARM AND RESPONSIVE IN THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE
AMERICAN VISITORS, WITH THE TOWN COMMANDER, BRIGADIER
KALHON, FREQUENTLY REMINISCING ABOUT THE BEST YEAR OF
HIS LIFE" WHICH HE ENJOYED IN FORT LEAVENWORTH IN 1981.
THE IPKF ESCORTS (INCLUDING 10 JEEP LOADS OF HEAVILY
ARMED JAWANS) WERE RECEIVED CASUALLY AT THE TWO SCHOOLS
WHICH THE PARTY VISITED. THE INDIANS GOT AN OCCASIONAL
CHEERFUL WAVE FROM SCHOOLBOYS ON THE STREETS, ALTHOUGH
MOST PEOPLE APPEARED TO RESPOND TO THEM INDIFFERENTLY.
13. IN CONTRAST TO THE AMBASSADOR'S LAST VISIT TO
JAFFNA IN AUGUST 1987, THE CENTER OF THE TOWN WAS BUSY,
WITH SHOPS OPEN AND RELATIVELY WELL-STOCKED, PEOPLE IN
THE STREETS, AND MOTOR VEHICLES ON THE ROADS. THERE
WAS NO SIGN OF THE GANGS OF YOUNG MEN IN COMMANDEERED
VEHICLES AND THE UBIQUITOUS LTTE POSTERS AND MEMORIALS
WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN COMMON. A GOOD DEAL OF WAR
DAMAGE COULD BE SEEN, AND THE IPKF OFFICERS FREQUENTLY
WENT INTO DETAILED EXPLANATIONS OF HOW CAREFUL THEY HAD
BEEN IN TAKING THE CITY TO KEEP DAMAGE TO A MINIMUM.
BRIGADIER KALHON DESCRIBED IN DETAIL HOW HE HAD LOST
MEN, BECAUSE HE HELD OFF TAKING JAFFNA HOSPITAL AND
EXERCISED UTMOST CAUTION WHEN HE FINALLY LED HIS TROOPS
IN. (HE INDICATED THAT THE HOSPITAL HAD BEEN TURNED
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INTO AN LTTE REDOUBT WHEN THE IPKF DID A PINCERS MOVEMENT
INTO THE SOUTHERN SECTION OF THE TOWN ALONG THE COAST
ROAD.) HE AND HIS ENGINEER COMMANDER, BRIGADIER
DHILLON, ALSO WENT INTO IMPRESSIVE DETAIL ON THE RECON-
STRUCTION WORK THE IPKF IS UNDERTAKING TO REESTABLISH
BASIC FACILITIES IN THE TOWN. ALL IN ALL, IN THE
PARTS OF JAFFNA VISITED BY THE AMERICAN PARTY, THERE WAS
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NO SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER AMOUNT OF WAR DAMAGE VISIBLE
THAN HAD BEEN THE CASE IN AUGUST BEFORE THE IPKF STORMED
IN. ALTHOUGH THE IPKF INSISTED ON HELICOPTERING THE
PARTY FROM PALALY TO JAFFNA TOWN AND BACK AGAIN, GROUND
TRAFFIC COULD BE SEEN MOVING ON THE CONNECTING ROAD
BELOW.
14. COMMENT: GALBRAITH'S VISIT PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR A SERIES OF BIOPSIES OF AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
TO US HERE. IT IS PROBABLY TOO EARLY IN BOTH THE PEACE
AND POLITICAL PROCESSES TO DRAW GENERAL CONCLUSIONS FROM
WHAT WAS SEEN AND SAID. HOWEVER, A FEW THINGS STAND
OUT. FIRST, J.R., THOUGH BELEAGUERED AND ISOLATED FROM
MANY ELEMENTS IN SRI LANKA, IS STILL DEVOTED TO MAKING
THE PEACE PROCESS WORK AND SEES HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE U.S. AS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN DOING SO. ALSO, HE
IS STILL VERY MUCH IN CONTROL OF DAY TO DAY EVENTS.
HE HELD AMBASSADOR AND GALBRAITH FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY
PERIOD OF MORE THAN ONE HOUR PRIMARILY, IT APPEARED, TO
MAKE THESE POINTS. SECOND, THE BANDARANAIKES HAVE NOT
GIVEN UP THEIR HOPES OF COMING TO POLITICAL POWER AND
ARE BEING CAUTIOUS IN TAKING POSITIONS WHICH MIGHT
MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR THEM LATER. THIRD, THE IPKF
AND THE SRI LANKAN FORCES ARE GETTING ON WELL TOGETHER,
AND, FOURTH, THE SITUATION IN JAFFNA, WHILE STILL FAR
FROM NORMAL, IS GRADUALLY IMPROVING. SPAIN
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