Mission conveys points on fleeing Iraqi regime

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000675

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4-17-13
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ CE MV
SUBJECT: Mission conveys points on fleeing Iraqi regime
officials; GSL responds positively to points

Ref: State 98747

(U) Classified by Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d)


1. (C) Per Reftel, Mission has conveyed the points on
fleeing Iraqi regime officials to the Sri Lankan and
Maldivian Governments. Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary
Nihal Rodrigo assured the Ambassador that if the GSL had
any information that a former Saddam official was trying
to enter Sri Lanka the U.S. Embassy would be the first
to know. Rodrigo added that the GSL is NOW preventing
any monetary transfers into or out of Sri Lanka
involving the local Iraqi embassy. The GSL is
permitting internal monetary transactions, however, so
that the embassy can continue to operate.


2. (C) The Maldivian government has not yet responded to
our points, but we expect it will be cooperative on this
important matter.


3. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS