COLOMBO PLAN: REQUEST DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001268 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, IO, IO/T, INL/C/CJ E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2014 TAGS: PREL SNAR AORC IR CE SUBJECT: COLOMBO PLAN: REQUEST DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE IN GARNERING SUPPORT FOR ALTERNATIVE AMENDMENT WORKING GROUP REF: A. STATE 163812 (NOTAL) ¶B. COLOMBO 1173 Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. Reasons 1.5(b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an Action Request -- please see Para Three. ¶2. (C) Mission has received Colombo Plan instructions in Ref (A) and will present points on August 4 in the Colombo Plan Council meeting. Prior to the Council meeting, we intend to query local representatives (Ambassadors) of other Colombo Plan member states for support on these points. ¶3. (C) ACTION REQUEST: If these USG-proposed changes are to garner support, it would be helpful if the Department considered demarches to select capitals who might be sympathetic to our concerns. In our experience in these Council meeting, member states often state the need to query capitals for further instructions before expressing a position on an issue. In addition, some members send delegations from capitals for these meetings. Specifically, we suggest that the governments of Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand might be queried about support for convening a working group to discuss an alternative amendment. END ACTION REQUEST. ¶4. (U) Minimize considered. LUNSTEAD