US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1332

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001332 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, CE, Religious Freedom 
SUBJECT: US OPPOSITION TO ANTI-CONVERSION BILL HEADLINES 
FRONT PAGE OF LOCAL PAPER 
 
REF: A. COLOMBO 1169 
     B. COLOMBO 1229 
     C. STATE 131741 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD FOR REASONS 1.4(b) and (d 
) 
 
1. (U) On July 31 a Sunday Times newspaper's front-page 
headline read "US warns Lanka on religious bill."  The 
article, which listed no author or sources, cited Christine 
Rocca's meeting with Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US Bernard 
Gunatilleke.  It purported that Rocca warned that if the Sri 
Lankan parliament passed an anti-conversion bill, the action 
could have adverse consequences on US aid and trade 
concessions to Sri Lanka.  The article continued that the 
Ambassador had been "given assurances at the highest level" 
that the bill would not be passed. 
 
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COMMENT 
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2. (C) On July 14, President Kumaratunga had privately 
assured the Ambassador that the bill would not move forward 
in parliament (Reftel B).  The President and Foreign Minister 
Kardigamar had said that it would be best if the US and other 
outside parties kept a low public profile on the issue.  The 
Sunday Times article was not helpful in that regard. 
 
3. (C) The article did not cite the date of Rocca's meeting 
with Gunatilleke, which occurred July 6.  The Sri Lankan 
Embassy in Washington DC assured pressoff that they had not 
released news about the meeting. 
LUNSTEAD