US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO510

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000510 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS LINESA/INS FOR J.BRENNIG/N.DEAN AND EB FOR A/S 
WAYNE/HARTWICK; TREASURY FOR C.CARNES; 
MANILA FOR USADB 
 
E.O 12958:N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, MV, External Relations, Maldives, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: MALDIVES INVITES U.S. TO PARTICIPATE 
IN MANILA DONOR CONFERENCE 
 
REF.: A.  COLOMBO 409 
      B.  COLOMBO 301 
 
1.  On March 9, 2005, Post received a Diplomatic Note 
from the Republic of Maldives regarding the Maldive's 
participation in the March 17, 2005 ADB- sponsored Donors' 
Conference to be held in Manila, Philippines.  The 
following is the text of the Dipnote. 
 
Begin text: 
 
Reference:  (F2) CIR/2005/14 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives presents 
its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of 
America to the Republic of Maldives and has the honour 
to inform the Embassy that the  Government of Maldives 
has now, in conjunction with the World Bank, the Asian 
Development Bank, and the United Nations, prepared a 
needs-assessment report, and has embarked on a 
reconstruction and rehabilitation programme following 
the tsunamis of December 2004. 
 
The Government of Maldives is thankful that the 
response of the international community had been 
extremely good during the emergency relief period, but 
wishes to note that substantial additional financial 
resources are needed for the restoration of services to 
their pre-tsunami levels.  In this context, the 
Ministry has the honour to draw the attention of the 
Embassy to a donors' meeting being organised organized 
by the Government of Maldives and major financial 
institutions, scheduled to convene at the ADB 
headquarters in Manila, Philippines, on 17 March 2005, 
at which the Government of Maldives hopes to receive 
specific commitments to assist in its reconstruction 
programme. 
 
The Ministry has the subsequent honour to invite the 
Government of the United States of America to 
participate in the meeting.  A copy of the agenda for 
this meeting is attached herewith.  The documents 
forming the basis of discussion for this meeting, the 
needs-assessment report titled (quote) Tsunami Impact 
and Recovery (unquote), and the supplement titled 
(quote) National Recovery and Reconstruction Plan - 
Programmes and Projects (unquote) may be obtained from 
the official website of the National Disaster 
Managements Centere at www.tsunamimaldives.mv, and 
hardcopies will be distributed at the meeting in 
Manila.  As the Government of Maldives also wishes to 
provide the Government of the United States of America 
with soft copies of the reports in pdf format, the 
Ministry would be grateful if the Embassy could provide 
it with an email address to which the documents may be 
sent. 
 
The Ministry looks forward to receiving the names and 
designations of those who will be representing the 
Government of the United States of America at the 
meeting. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of 
Maldives avails itself of this opportunity to renew to 
the Embassy of the United States of America for the 
Republic of Maldives the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
Male, 09 March 2005 
 
Embassy of the United States of America 
Colombo 
 
End Text. 
 
2.  Post would like to recommend USG participation in 
this meeting and suggests USG participants try to 
discuss Maldivian needs with Riluwan Shareef, Executive 
Director, Ministry of Finance, Maldives who gives a 
very impressive presentation as noted previously, and 
highlighted during the recent visit to Maldives by 
former U.S. Presidents Bush and Clinton.  The Maldives 
tsunami reconstruction effort is extremely impressive 
 
SIPDIS 
and worthy of strong U.S. support.. 
 
LUNSTEAD