US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO277

S E C R E T COLOMBO 000277 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2-18-13 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, PTER, ETTC, CE, MV 
SUBJECT:  MANPADS:  Information for possible bilateral 
discussions with Sri Lanka and the Maldives 
 
Ref:  State 36352 
 
(U) Classified by W. Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of 
Mission.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
1. (S) Per Reftel, Mission's input for the request for 
information on Man Portable Air Defense Systems 
(MANPADS) follows.  Responses are keyed to the questions 
in Reftel Paras 7-13. 
 
Sri Lanka 
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2. (S) Begin Text: 
 
-- General Information:  To our knowledge, the 
Sri Lankan military does not have any MANPADS.  The 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is believed to 
have SA-14s that were made in Bulgaria.  By law, all 
weapons going into and leaving Sri Lanka must be 
approved by the Ministry of Defense.  The LTTE 
circumvents these laws on a regular basis by smuggling 
arms into Sri Lanka. 
 
-- Government Cooperation:  Mission expects that the GSL 
will cooperate with the USG on MANPADS issues.  (Note: 
The GSL has allowed access to captured LTTE SA-14s in 
the past and has requested US assistance in identifying 
weapon origins.) The government's export control laws 
appear to be adequate, but the GSL is unable to enforce 
them re the LTTE. 
 
-- Feasible Arguments:  Mission believes the GSL would 
be receptive to an approach based on the need for 
responsible action to deal with MANPADS.  The GSL is 
aware of the magnitude of the liability of an attack 
against civil aviation using MANPADS.  (Note:  Sri 
Lanka's international airport was attacked by the LTTE 
in July 2001 and four of the national air carriers' 
aircraft were destroyed.  The nearby military airport 
was also attacked, and many planes and helicopters were 
destroyed in the incident.)  Mission believes that the 
GSL would be responsive to any security-related approach 
regarding control of access to MANPADS. 
 
-- Financial Incentives:  Mission believes this section 
is not applicable.  The GSL is not known to have any 
MANPADS and Mission believes the GSL would be responsive 
to USG concerns on the issue because of its own national 
interest in controlling access to MANPADS. 
 
-- Other Incentives:  Mission believes this section is 
not applicable.  The GSL is not known to have any 
MANPADS and Mission believes the GSL would be responsive 
to USG concerns on the issues because of its own 
national interest in controlling access to MANPADS. 
 
-- Government Contacts and Engagement Opportunities: 
Mission can contact key Ministers in the GSL and key 
individuals in the GSL's MFA and MoD on this issue.  GSL 
interlocutors are available at the United Nations. 
Mission recommends initiating any dialogue with the 
government in Colombo, however. 
 
End Text. 
 
Maldives 
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3. (S) Begin Text: 
 
-- General Information:  To our knowledge, the Maldivian 
government does not have any MANPADS and would be 
receptive to initiatives on controlling access to 
MANPADS by the USG. 
 
-- (Note:  Mission believes the remaining sections are 
not applicable to the Maldives.) 
 
End Text. 
 
WILLS