OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 146 (10-22-02)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001972 SIPDIS OFFICIAL INFORMAL DEPT FOR SA/INS FROM AMBASSADOR WILLS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10-22-12 TAGS: AMGT CE KWMM SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 146 (10-22-02) Classified by DCM Lewis Amselem, Reasons 1.5 (b, d) CONTENTS: INDIA AND OSLO CONFERENCE MALDIVES GLOBE REQUEST INDIA AND OSLO CONFERENCE -------------- ¶1. (C) DCM met with Mohan Kumar, the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, today. Out of the blue, Kumar said the GoI was not planning to participate in the Oslo donors conference. Kumar linked the Indian stance to their reluctance to have anything to do with the LTTE. He indicated that high-levels had reviewed the issue and concluded that possible photos of high-level Indian officials interacting with the LTTE would not be acceptable back home. Kumar, who knew that D was planning on attending, urged the U.S. to take a low-key approach at the event, so as not to allow the LTTE to benefit from it. We said that was our plan. He added that he had met with the British DCM yesterday and urged the UK not to attend, but the Brits have already accepted. Kumar added that the GoI was not happy that the GSL had agreed to funnel donor assistance to a Joint Task Force made up of government and LTTE representatives. ¶2. (SBU) This is all news to us. Although India is not technically a donor, this was the first we had heard of any Indian reluctance to participate in Oslo. Kumar seems like a pretty solid source. Had you heard any of this? (POL) MALDIVES GLOBE REQUEST -------------- ¶3. (U) We received written notification (faxed to desk) of the GoRM's desire to join GLOBE, as mentioned in last week's cable. In it is the question of who will sign for the our side. We assume it will be the Ambassador on behalf of NASA during his next (as yet unplanned) trip to Male'. Please let us know the procedure so we can brief the Maldivians. Former Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Azeez Yoosef will sign for GoRM in his new capacity as Minister of Home Affairs, Housing and Environment. (ECON) WILLS