US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO618

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000618 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, INR/NESA 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  04-08-14 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, CE, IN, CHR-1, Political Parties, External Relations 
SUBJECT:  Sri Lanka:  Foreign Minister-designate 
Kadirgamar requests a visit to Washington 
 
Refs:  Colombo 611, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. 
Reasons 1.5 (b, d). 
 
1.  (U) This cable contains an action request -- see 
para 7. 
 
2.  (C) SUMMARY:  New Foreign Minister Kadirgamar would 
like to visit Washington in May.  He appreciated the 
US's neutrality during the election.  On the Peace 
Process, the new government "has no grip yet."  India 
has been standing in the shadows on peace and should 
play a greater role.  The President will keep the 
Rehabilitation Ministry for herself, and hopes to begin 
quick impact projects in the North and East.  Ambassador 
asked for Sri Lankan support in the UNHRC.  END SUMMARY 
 
3.  (C) Ambassador paid a call on Foreign Minister- 
designate Kadirgamar on Apr 8.  Kadirgamar confirmed 
that he was in fact the choice for Foreign Minister, but 
expected the new cabinet would not be sworn in until 
Saturday, April 10.  Kadirgamar said that as one of his 
first acts, he would want to go to Washington, where he 
hoped to meet both Secretary Powell and Deputy Secretary 
Armitage.  Early May might be a good time.  Ambassador 
said he would ask Washington about a visit, but 
cautioned that the busy schedules of the Secretary and 
Deputy Secretary might make it difficult to find a time 
when both would be available.  Kadirgamar seemed to 
accept that. 
 
4.  (C) Ambassador said that, as he had told new PM 
Rajapakse that morning, the US valued its relations with 
the country of Sri Lanka, not with any particular party 
or person and wanted to work with the new government on 
our common goals--peace and prosperity for the country. 
Kadirgamar said the neutral stance of the US during the 
election had been noted and much appreciated.  He 
contrasted this with what he considered a biased 
approach by the Japanese, citing some remarks of Special 
Envoy Akashi. 
 
5.  (C) Ambassador said that Kadirgamar had been quoted 
yesterday when he met with Indian High Commissioner Sen 
that India should play a larger role in the peace 
process.  What did that mean? Kadirgamar said that there 
was no specific idea.  He thought that since the fiasco 
of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in the 1980's, India 
had been "standing in the shadows," and this was 
unnatural, given Indian's role in the region. 
Ambassador asked whether the new government had given 
thought to the role of the Tokyo co-Chairs.  Kadirgamar 
said that he himself greatly appreciated the Tokyo 
Declaration, especially paragraph 18 (which sets out 
benchmarks for the peace process.)  He very carefully 
did not endorse any specific role for the Co-Chairs, 
however, commenting that the new Government "did not 
have a grip yet" on the issue and would need to sort 
things out.  He said that the President would keep the 
Rehabilitation Ministry for herself, and hoped to begin 
some quick impact projects in the North and East to 
improve the lives of the people there. 
 
6.  (C) Ambassador raised the ongoing UN Human Rights 
Commission and Cuba and China.  Details Septel. 
 
7.  (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST:  Kadirgamar was his 
usual smooth self.  We think his desire for a quick trip 
to Washington to be useful, a clear signal of his desire 
to link up with the US.  We request the Department to 
see if such a trip could be scheduled.  Because of the 
Deputy Secretary's involvement in Sri Lanka issues, we 
believe a meeting with him is essential.  If a short 
call on the Secretary could be scheduled in the same 
time period, that would enhance a visit.  END COMMENT 
AND ACTION REQUEST. 
 
8.  (U) Minimize considered. 
LUNSTEAD