US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1248

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, S/P, IO; NSC FOR MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2013 
TAGS: PREL.CE, ECONOMICS 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA:  GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED COUNTRIES 
 
Classified By: CHARGE DON CAMP; REASONS 1.5 B, D. 
 
1.  (C) In meeting with Charge today, Minister Milinda 
Moragoda provided latest GSL thinking about its proposal for 
a new grouping of countries with a less hidebound approach to 
international affairs and trade policy than the NAM and G-77. 
  He said the PM has assigned a small group of senior foreign 
service officers (incoming FonSec Goonetilleke and 
ambassadors in Bangkok, Washington, Geneva, and Brussels) to 
vet the list of likely countries and individuals to 
participate in the grouping.   Their plan is to start small, 
with a list of five or six countries, and arrange quiet 
meetings with PM Wickremasinghe with the other heads of 
government at the UNGA in September.  This is a slower start 
than originally envisioned, and Moragoda said it was still 
possible that the group could be announced in September. 
 
2.  (C) Moragoda also said that after a discussion with the 
Norwegian Foreign Minister, the GSL was reassessing whether 
the group needed to be entirely composed of developing 
countries.  He asked what the USG view would be of including 
the Dutch.  Charge said he would consult Washington, but 
pointed out that GSL was the convenor of the group. 
 
3.  (C) Moragoda also expanded on what we had previously 
heard about Indian official reaction to the like-minded 
grouping.  He said he had briefed the idea to Foreign 
Minister Sinha who had commented approvingly on changes in 
the world and the importance of the international system 
changing as well.  Less than half an hour later, he said, 
Foreign Secretary Sibal who had not been in the previous 
discussion raised  concern about the idea with his Sri Lankan 
counterpart we have too many international organizations 
already.  Moragoda said his reaction is that the minister 
spoke authoritatively, and he would assume Indian approbation 
unless he were told otherwise by Sinha. 
CAMP