Like-Minded Nations: Moragoda Briefed

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001510 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08-29-13 TAGS: PREL PGOV CE ECONOMICS SUBJECT: Like-Minded Nations: Moragoda Briefed Ref: State 249224 (U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Charge' d'Affaires. Reasons 1.5 (b, d). ¶1. (C) The Charge' shared the substance of para three reftel with Minister Milinda Moragoda on August 29. Moragoda expressed his appreciation and said he was aware of Ambassador Subasinghe's conversations on the Like-Minded Countries initiative with the Department. Moragoda said that, although he remains involved and interested in the subject, Subasinghe is the "desk officer" on the initiative and is handling most of the "setup work." Moragoda agreed that the initiative is off to a good start ("We've hit no walls yet") but cautioned that: "It's early days yet." ¶2. (C) Moragoda said Subasinghe has been in touch with Bahrain and Uruguay, both of which are enthusiastic. According to Moragoda, the Uruguayan president will be in Miami (but not New York) in mid-September. Subasinghe is trying to arrange for Moragoda to go to Miami to brief the Uruguayans while Moragoda is in the U.S. in September. ¶3. (C) Moragoda agreed that UN reform would be a good topic for the group to take on. He asked, however, that the U.S. endorse the idea with the Singaporeans since, Moragoda said, in Sri Lankan discussions with Singaporean UN PERMREP Mahbubani in New York and with Tommy Koh there had been agreement that "Doha and WMD" should be the initial points of focus. ENTWISTLE