OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 073 (05/18/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000816

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 073 (05/18/04)


Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d).

CONTENTS: MAY 18 PARLIAMENTARY SESSION
- CUBAN AMBASSADOR'S SPEECH


MAY 18 PARLIAMENTARY SESSION
--------------


1. (C) FYI. After almost a month's hiatus, Sri Lanka's
Parliament reopened today (May 18). The first order of
business was the selection of the new Deputy Speaker of
Parliament and Deputy Chairman of Committees. In sharp
contrast to the fractious, raucous scenes that attended
the election to the Speaker's chair on April 22, the two
jobs were filled without opposition. Geethanjana
Gunawardena of the UPFA is the new Deputy Speaker and
Murugan Satchithananthan of the tea estate Ceylon
Worker's Congress (CWC) is the new Deputy Chairman of
Committees. (The CWC is in alliance with the UNP.)
Contacts have told Mission that this was the result of
some sort of deal between the UNP and the UPFA, and that
the JVP was reportedly not happy with the compromise.
There are also reports that a SLMC MP crossed over to
the UPFA right before today's session. (POL)

CUBAN AMBASSADOR'S SPEECH
--------------


2. (C) Pls pass to WHA/CCA: FYI. The Cuban Ambassador
to Sri Lanka, Enna Viant, gave a press briefing in
Colombo attacking the U.S. on May 14. In her scathing
remarks, Viant was quoted as stating that a recent
report to President Bush by the Commission for
Assistance to a Free Cuba was full of "lies, bitterness,
frustration, and blatant interference in the internal
affairs of another country." Viant then attacked the
various chapters of the report, stating: "The cruelty
and hatred which inspire this new aggression against our
country are beyond belief...It is a flagrant violation
of the human rights of the 11 million Cubans whom they
are trying to bring to their knees..." She then accused
the U.S. of trying to overthrow Castro. We spoke to the
reporter who wrote a story on the press briefing in a
local newspaper and he said Viant was pretty heated
during the news conference (which, in any case, did not
receive much press coverage). Just wanted to flag this,
as the Cuban Embassy here is usually relatively
somnolent. (POL)

LUNSTEAD