US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO289

S E C R E T COLOMBO 000289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT, NEA/NGA, DS/DSS/ITA, INR/NESA 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  02-20-13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINS, PTER, ASEC, CE, IZ 
SUBJECT:  Iraq:  FM reaffirms constructive position; 
Ambassador expresses concerns re Iraqi embassy officials 
 
Refs:  (A) Colombo 278 
 
-      (B) Colombo 273 
-      (C) Colombo 170, and previous (All Notal) 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador E. Ashley Wills.  Reasons 
1.5 (B, D). 
 
1.  (S/NF) The Ambassador met with Sri Lankan Foreign 
Minister Tyronne Fernando on February 20.  The 
conversation focused on the Iraq situation.  When 
queried, the Foreign Minister confirmed that Sri Lanka's 
position on the situation remained unchanged from the 
MFA's previous public statement on the matter.  (Note: 
This statement, which was quite constructive, was issued 
January 28 -- see Ref C.)  He noted that he would be 
restating the GSL's position in a parliamentary debate 
on the Iraq situation taking place later that day 
(February 20).  The core of the GSL position, he 
stressed, was that Iraq must comply immediately with all 
UN resolutions.  He added that he hoped that war could 
be avoided if at all possible.  The Ambassador said the 
U.S. also hoped to avoid war, but Iraq could not defy 
the UN and had to do more.  The Ambassador provided the 
FM with a copy of Secretary Powell's February 14 remarks 
to the UN Security Council.  (Note:  The text of these 
remarks was also provided to the MFA on February 17, per 
Ref A.) 
 
2.  (S/NF) Switching gears, the Ambassador emphasized 
our concerns about the recent activities of Iraqi 
embassy officials.  The Ambassador noted that at least 
three of these officials were known intelligence 
officers.  Some of them had turned up at recent anti- 
U.S. rallies.  In addition, there was evidence that one 
Iraqi official had provided money to fund a recent anti- 
U.S. demonstration (See Ref B for further information). 
GSL intelligence agencies also knew of these activities. 
We were not asking the Sri Lankan government to expel 
the Iraqis at this time, although we might do so at a 
later date if such activities continued.  We requested, 
however, that the Sri Lankan government call in the 
Iraqi Charge, and demand that he and his staff honor the 
"third country rule."  It was vital for the security of 
the U.S. Embassy and its personnel that Iraqi officials 
not be allowed to violate their official status. 
Listening carefully and nodding, the FM took the 
Ambassador's points on board. 
 
3.  (S/NF) COMMENT:  Foreign Minister Fernando, who is 
friendly to the U.S., seemed sympathetic to our 
concerns.  He made no commitments regarding the Iraqi 
embassy's activities, but our guess is that he will look 
into the matter as soon as possible.  At the close of 
the meeting, he repeated his long-standing interest in 
becoming the next UN Secretary General.  Despite 
reports, he seemed relatively hail-and-hearty after 
recent heart-related surgery.  END COMMENT. 
 
4.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
WILLS