Sri Lanka: Foreign Minister-designate

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000618

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, INR/NESA
NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04-08-14
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR CE IN CHR
SUBJECT: Sri Lanka: Foreign Minister-designate
Kadirgamar requests a visit to Washington

Refs: Colombo 611, and previous

(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead.
Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (U) This cable contains an action request -- see
para 7.


2. (C) SUMMARY: New Foreign Minister Kadirgamar would
like to visit Washington in May. He appreciated the
US's neutrality during the election. On the Peace
Process, the new government "has no grip yet." India
has been standing in the shadows on peace and should
play a greater role. The President will keep the
Rehabilitation Ministry for herself, and hopes to begin
quick impact projects in the North and East. Ambassador
asked for Sri Lankan support in the UNHRC. END SUMMARY


3. (C) Ambassador paid a call on Foreign Minister-
designate Kadirgamar on Apr 8. Kadirgamar confirmed
that he was in fact the choice for Foreign Minister, but
expected the new cabinet would not be sworn in until
Saturday, April 10. Kadirgamar said that as one of his
first acts, he would want to go to Washington, where he
hoped to meet both Secretary Powell and Deputy Secretary
Armitage. Early May might be a good time. Ambassador
said he would ask Washington about a visit, but
cautioned that the busy schedules of the Secretary and
Deputy Secretary might make it difficult to find a time
when both would be available. Kadirgamar seemed to
accept that.


4. (C) Ambassador said that, as he had told new PM
Rajapakse that morning, the US valued its relations with
the country of Sri Lanka, not with any particular party
or person and wanted to work with the new government on
our common goals--peace and prosperity for the country.
Kadirgamar said the neutral stance of the US during the
election had been noted and much appreciated. He
contrasted this with what he considered a biased
approach by the Japanese, citing some remarks of Special
Envoy Akashi.


5. (C) Ambassador said that Kadirgamar had been quoted
yesterday when he met with Indian High Commissioner Sen
that India should play a larger role in the peace
process. What did that mean? Kadirgamar said that there
was no specific idea. He thought that since the fiasco
of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in the 1980's, India
had been "standing in the shadows," and this was
unnatural, given Indian's role in the region.
Ambassador asked whether the new government had given
thought to the role of the Tokyo co-Chairs. Kadirgamar
said that he himself greatly appreciated the Tokyo
Declaration, especially paragraph 18 (which sets out
benchmarks for the peace process.) He very carefully
did not endorse any specific role for the Co-Chairs,
however, commenting that the new Government "did not
have a grip yet" on the issue and would need to sort
things out. He said that the President would keep the
Rehabilitation Ministry for herself, and hoped to begin
some quick impact projects in the North and East to
improve the lives of the people there.


6. (C) Ambassador raised the ongoing UN Human Rights
Commission and Cuba and China. Details Septel.


7. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: Kadirgamar was his
usual smooth self. We think his desire for a quick trip
to Washington to be useful, a clear signal of his desire
to link up with the US. We request the Department to
see if such a trip could be scheduled. Because of the
Deputy Secretary's involvement in Sri Lanka issues, we
believe a meeting with him is essential. If a short
call on the Secretary could be scheduled in the same
time period, that would enhance a visit. END COMMENT
AND ACTION REQUEST.


8. (U) Minimize considered.
LUNSTEAD