However, the US was not certain how far the President would push the matter as the mission thought that she "has a propensity for making huge issues of matters and then dropping them."
The cable dated October 23, 2003 released by WikiLeaks to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten said the former President in a letter to the Norway government has demanded the removal of SLMM head Tryggve Teleffsen while the then Sri Lankan government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe was engaged in a peace accord with the LTTE.
President Kumaratunga has accused the SLMM of preventing the Navy from intercepting an LTTE arms resupply ship operating in high seas off the northeast coast by tipping the terrorist organization.
The President has directly accused the SLMM of either deliberately trying to tip off the Tigers via a phone call so that their boat could escape, or acting in a highly negligent manner, the US mission in Colombo reported.
Tellefsen, for his part has admitted to the US Ambassador, that his office has contacted the Tigers and asked them about a report that one of their ships was operating off the northeast coast but denied that his office intended to tip off the Tigers.
The US mission however has felt that it would be best for all concerned if President Kumaratunga backs down soon as disruptions in the SLMM's operations would be highly problematic for the ceasefire and the peace process.
Read the full text of the cable here.
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