US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1814

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001814 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EAID, EIND, ETRD, PGOV, PHUM, KPAO, OIIP, PREL, MV, Maldives 
SUBJECT: FIRST US-MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP WEEK A SUCCESS 
 
REFS: A) COLOMBO 1716 B) COLOMBO 1706 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  The first-ever US-Maldives Friendship 
Week ("Friendship Week") which took place on September 23-28 
furthered the Mission Performance Plan (MPP) goal of stable 
and secure partners worldwide and enhanced bilateral ties in 
the political, economic, cultural and security realms. 
Building upon the success of its annual trade show run by 
the Commercial and Economic Section, Post added seminars on 
visas, educational opportunities, and human rights.  A range 
of activities was on the docket: Ambassador and Emboffs 
signed grant agreements, conducted Fulbright interviews, 
exhibited a collection of photos entitled "Islam in 
America," donated book sets to several libraries, and 
screened hit Hollywood movies.  A Navy P3 plane made a visit 
and its crew met with military counterparts.  Post's "July 
4" reception was hosted by the Ambassador and served as the 
opening event.  The Ambassador and Emboffs paid calls on 
numerous GORM officials, including President Gayoom.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) Post's MPP for the Maldives has one performance 
goal:  pursuing stable and secure partners worldwide. 
Friendship Week was an opportunity to develop a closer 
relationship with this moderate Muslim nation, through 
commercial, consular and cultural programs, as well as many 
meetings with GORM officials. 
 
3.  (SBU) The Ambassador held a series of discussions with 
various government officials and political leaders, 
including President Gayoom, opposition Maldivian Democratic 
Party leaders, the Attorney General, the Home Affairs 
Minister, the Atoll Development Minister, and the Deputy 
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ref A).  During these meetings, 
the Ambassador noted the many difficult but important 
changes the GORM was attempting to undertake and emphasized 
the mutual responsibilities of government (to protect 
freedoms of speech and assembly) and political parties (to 
speak and assemble peacefully) in a democracy.  He also 
received assurances from the Deputy Minister of Foreign 
Affairs that the GORM will move quickly to conclude the 
bilateral agreement on tsunami aid. 
 
COMMERCIAL OUTREACH 
 
4.  (SBU) This year's trade show saw our highest 
participation yet by US companies.  Food and beverage, IT, 
health care, water, power generation, personal care and 
transportation sectors were present.  Companies or brands 
included Bell Helicopter, the California Table Grape 
Commission, Caterpillar, Commercial Lynks, GE, IBM, Kraft 
Foods, Microsoft, and Proctor and Gamble.  As a result of 
this year's trade show, a participating US company has 
commenced negotiations to secure a multi-million dollar 
project with the Maldives government (GORM) for a 
desalinization plant.  Several other companies reported 
increased possibilities for contracts in the future due to 
their presence at the show. 
 
CULTURAL OUTREACH 
 
5.  (SBU) Post's Public Affairs section organized several 
events to generate goodwill and positive publicity, 
including an Ambassadorial press conference, a film festival 
of hit American movies and three separate book donations to 
schools and libraries.  Two seminars were given on higher 
education opportunities in the US.  In addition, Public 
Affairs sponsored a speaker on forensic sciences for the 
Maldivian Human Rights Commission and police.  This was 
particularly timely in light of recent political events.  PD 
also arranged the first ever grant to the Maldives from the 
Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation to help restore 
the 19th century Eid mosque. A full report on Public Affairs 
activities will follow septel. 
 
CONSULAR OUTREACH 
 
7.  (U) The Consular Section gave a seminar on Diversity 
Visas to the US and another seminar on student and non- 
immigrant visas.  Maldivians expressed considerable interest 
in student visas, educational opportunities and 
scholarships, both by those who attended the seminars, and 
through questions from 60 or 70 drop-ins at the trade fair. 
In addition to the seminars given by the Consular and Public 
Affairs Sections, a US "educational opportunities" booth was 
set up at the trade show by Public Affairs.  The Defense 
Attache's Office also provided information at the trade fair 
on appointments to US military academies. 
 
SIDE MEETINGS AND ORIENTATION VISITS 
 
8.  (SBU) In addition to the Ambassador's discussions noted 
above, embassy officials held a number of useful meetings on 
the margins of Friendship Week.  These included orientation 
meetings for the new Defense Attache and the new Regional 
Security Officer, as well as consultations with UN 
officials, and economic and commercial contacts.  The crew 
of the Navy P3 plane, along with the Defense Attache, met 
members of the Maldivian military.  South Asia's 
Environment, Science, Technology and Health Hub Officer from 
Kathmandu selected this week to conduct consultations on 
atolls development and tsunami-related matters. 
 
9.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The Maldivian media gave widespread and 
extremely favorable coverage of the Friendship Week and of 
American culture (Ref B).  This 100% Muslim country is 
extremely friendly towards the US.  While it is a small 
island country with only 300,000 citizens, its ties with 
other Islamic countries and ongoing democratic reform 
process make it a country whose friendship should be 
maintained and developed.  Numerous contacts made during US- 
Maldives Friendship Week, from schoolchildren to political 
party leaders to media contacts to business executives, made 
this week a success.  Post learned a good deal this week, 
through contacts made as well as through the exercise of 
planning the week from Sri Lanka.  This experience has 
underscored the potential value of an FSN position dedicated 
to the Maldives, as noted in the MPP.  Another Friendship 
Week is planned for mid-2006, and we expect it will build on 
the success of our first Friendship Week. 
 
LUNSTEAD