COLOMBO PLAN: MISSION QUESTIONS ON PROPOSED

1. (C) Mission has received reftel proposed constitutional
amendment for the Colombo Plan and requests the Department to
clarify language in the proposal:

-- The organization's Consultative Committee, which meets
biennially, is the highest decision making body. In the
approximately 24 months between meetings, decision making
passes to the Council, which meets regularly in Colombo.
Should the question arise or require clarification from
member states, does the Department include both the
Consultative Committee and the Council when defining a member
state's loss of decision-making right?

-- The Colombo Plan fiscal year runs from July 1 - June 30.
The Colombo Plan Secretariat considers a country in arrears
if twelve months have elapsed since the annual assessment
request, i.e., July of the preceding calendar year. Does the
Department's proposed amendment intend for calendar year or
fiscal year to be the reference time frame?

-- Consistently throughout previously developed versions of a
proposed amendment on arrears, the majority of member
countries felt that four years of arrears was the benchmark
for initiating sanctions on member states for non-payment.
What are the arguments to support a two-year benchmark?
Mission anticipates that this subject will arise during
discussions within the Working Group.

-- The proposal allows for a member state's reinstatement of
decision-making rights upon agreement of an approved
amortization plan. Does the Department envision the Council
as the approving body for such an amortization plan or may
the Council convey authority to the Secretary-General to sign
on the organization's behalf?



2. (SBU) The Colombo Plan President customarily chairs
working groups in the organization. At the August 4 Colombo
Plan Council meeting, the presidency passed to Maldives.
With recent events in Maldives, the High Commissioner has
been otherwise engaged and her availability and schedule for
a working group have not yet been determined.

ENTWISTLE