US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO606

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000606 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PARM, MCAP, EAID, CE, CU, ID, UNHRC-1, Tsunami, LTTE - Peace Process, Religious Freedom 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES LTTE "AIR FORCE", TSUNAMI 
RELIEF/RECONSTRUCTION, ANTI-CONVERSION BILL, CUBA WITH 
FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
REF: A. (A) STATE 50011 
 
     B. (B) COLOMBO 557 
     C. (C) COLOMBO 572 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD FOR REASON 1.4(D). 
 
 1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Ambassador and Foreign Minister Kadirgamar 
discussed how to deal with newly-revealed LTTE air capability 
and Sri Lankan reports of possible additional Tiger aircraft 
purchases. Kadirgamar, who had just returned from a two-week 
trip abroad, was uninformed about GSL moves to bring 
anti-conversion bill to a vote, but voiced concern. They 
discussed continuing problems in tsunami reconstruction 
effort. Kadirgamar said he planned to attend the Community of 
Democracies ministerial in Santiago and asked for information 
about the meeting.  Kadirgamar expressed great interest in 
the US-sponsored Cuba resolution in the UNHRC and promised to 
look into the issue. END SUMMARY 
 
Secretary's Letter and LTTE Aircraft 
 
SIPDIS 
------------------------------------ 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador on March 28 called on Foreign Minister 
Kadirgamar, who had returned only a few days earlier from a 
two-week trip abroad. Ambassador presented Kadirgamar with 
the letter from Secretary Rice (ref a). Kadirgamar studied 
the letter, and he and Ambassador discussed how to deal with 
the revelation of LTTE air capability. He had discussed with 
UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw during his visit to the UK. 
Straw had asked if the GSL intended to "take them out." 
Kadirgamar said no, the government was being "attentive but 
not panicky" about the issue. 
 
3.  (C) Kadirgamar then said that he had seen just that day a 
new intelligence report which showed that the LTTE had 
purchased three additional aircraft in Indonesia, which were 
now crated in Jakarta and ready for shipment. Kadirgamar had 
called the Indonesian Ambassador and Foreign Minister to warn 
them, and the GOI had promised to be on the lookout. However, 
mused Kadirgamar, the LTTE had probably bribed GOI customs 
officials, so he wondered if the aircraft would slip through. 
 
Tsunami Problems 
 
SIPDIS 
---------------- 
 
4. (C) Ambassador then informed Kadirgamar about his March 17 
discussion with President Kumaratunga about problems in 
tsunami reconstruction process (ref b). When Ambassador 
 
SIPDIS 
mentioned problems US in particular was having with exemption 
from VAT, Kadirgamar asked Ambassador for a detailed 
description, and he promised he would look into the issue. 
 
Anti-Conversion Bill 
-------------------- 
 
5. (C) Ambassador then raised recent Cabinet decision to send 
Government-drafted anti-conversion bill to Parliament, 
although on condition that it would be a vote of conscience, 
where Government MP's could vote freely and not follow 
Government whip (ref c). Kadirgamar said that he had read 
about this in the newspapers, but did not know anything more 
about it yet. (Kadirgamar was abroad when the Cabinet took 
this action.) He wondered if President Kumaratunga had been 
present at the Cabinet meeting since he knew she did not 
support it--Ambassador told him he believed she was. 
Ambassador stressed that the bill was terrible and would 
cause an uproar in many quarters in the US and elsewhere. He 
noted the irony that the bill might come up for a vote in 
Parliament at the same time that the US Congress would be 
deciding on tsunami aid for Sri Lanka. Kadirgamar said he 
would need to look into this and get back to the Ambassador. 
COMMENT: The normally self-confident Kadirgamar seemed a bit 
nonplussed during this discussion, uncomfortable with what 
had happened, but unsure of the facts.  He had thought the 
bill was dead, but it was resurrected while he was overseas. 
END COMMENT 
 
Community of Democracies, Cuba 
------------------------------ 
 
6. (C) Ambassador mentioned Washington attention to the 
Community of Democracies Ministerial in Santiago at end-April 
and asked if Kadirgamar would attend.  Kadirgamar said he was 
planning to go.  On subject of promotion of democracy, 
Ambassador then raised US-sponsored Cuba resolution in Human 
Rights Commission and gave Kadirgamar a copy of the draft 
resolution. He stressed resolution was non-controversial, 
that this was our highest priority at HRC and hoped Sri Lanka 
could support it (Sri Lanka has traditionally abstained). 
Kadirgamar was very intrigued by the resolution. "All it asks 
is for a report next year," he noted with some incredulity. 
Kadirgamar promised to look at the issue. COMMENT: We 
anticipate Sri Lanka will still abstain, but clearly the 
different US approach this year had caught Kadirgamar's 
attention.  We will follow up as possible. 
LUNSTEAD