US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO1140

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001140 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS, S/ES-CR, S/ES-O 
 
E.O. 12958:   N/A 
TAGS: PREL, CE, External Relations 
SUBJECT:  Message from Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Lakshman Kadirgamar to Secretary Colin Powell 
 
1.  Mission received a letter from Minister of Foreign 
Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar to Secretary of State Colin 
Powell, dated July 5, 2004.  The text of the message is 
contained below.  A copy is being sent by fax to SA/INS 
with the original to follow via pouch. 
 
2.  Accompanying Kadirgamar's letter was a letter from 
Secretary Powell to the FM regarding the ASEAN Regional 
 
SIPDIS 
Forum (ARF) that had been faxed on July 2, 2004 from Sri 
Lankan Ambassador Subasinghe to Kadirgamar.  Kadirgamar 
references the letter from Secretary Powell in his own 
letter.  Mission, however, has not seen a copy of the 
Secretary's letter before now. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
3.  The text of FM Kadirgamar's letter follows: 
 
Begin text: 
 
July 5, 2004 
 
Honourable Colin L. Powell 
US Secretary of State 
 
Dear Secretary Powell 
 
First let me tell you that it was indeed a great 
pleasure to meet you again in Washington last May.  I 
would like to thank you and the officials of the State 
Department for arranging for me, together with our 
Embassy, a very comprehensive and productive programme 
of events. 
 
I would like to take this opportunity of formally 
extending to you, also on behalf of President 
Kumaratunga, a most cordial invitation to visit Sri 
Lanka as a guest of the Government.  You will recall 
that when I extended this invitation to you orally at 
the end of our recent meeting in Washington you 
responded in the affirmative.  You will receive a warm 
welcome in Sri Lanka.  Your name is very well known here 
and you have won a great deal of respect and admiration 
for the way in which you have handled an extremely 
difficult and delicate task in the last few years. 
Moreover, that grand, centuries old lady ?he banyan 
tree ?t President's House awaits your visit.  She is 
acquiring new admirers all the time! 
 
I would suggest that your officials and ours at the 
Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington be in touch on the 
question of suitable dates.  Perhaps, when you next 
visit our region you could include a stop in Sri Lanka. 
I would also suggest that your visit should be so 
planned as to allow you time to see at least some of the 
sites, both scenic and historical, for which Sri Lanka 
is famous. 
 
Let me also say, once more, that under your stewardship 
the State Department has played a very supportive and 
constructive role, which is greatly appreciated by the 
government and people of Sri Lanka, with regard to the 
security of Sri Lanka and the negotiation of a lasting 
settlement of the ethnic question that has bedeviled us 
for some decades. 
 
Finally, I refer to your letter of the 2nd instant 
pledging the support of the United States for the 
admission of Sri Lanka to the ASEAN Regional Forum 
(ARF).  This is an encouraging development for which I 
thank you very much indeed on behalf of the Government 
of Sri Lanka. 
 
With very best wishes 
Sincerely 
 
Lakshman Kadirgamar, PC MP 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
End text. 
 
LUNSTEAD