Iraq: Mission conveys demarche on UNSC open

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000420 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, IO, NEA; NSC FOR E. MILLARD E.O. 12958: DECL: 3-12-13 TAGS: PREL IZ CE MV UNSC SUBJECT: Iraq: Mission conveys demarche on UNSC open session to Sri Lankan and Maldivian governments Ref: State 63629 (U) Classified by Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Per Reftel, Mission has urged the Sri Lankan and Maldivian MFA's to express support for the joint US/UK/Spanish Iraq resolution. ¶2. (C) Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Nihal Rodrigo told us that Sri Lanka's UN representative had instructions to speak if there is "a cast of thousands" participating in the open session. Sri Lanka does not want to be on the forefront of this issue, but it also does not want to be completely on the sidelines. If the Sri Lankan representative speaks, Rodrigo indicated that the message would be that Iraq must comply with all UN resolutions, but that inspections should be given enough time. ¶3. (C) We have not yet received any reaction from the Maldivian MFA to our demarche. ¶4. (U) Minimize considered. WILLS