Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO1332
2005-08-01 10:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

US OPPOSITION TO ANTI-CONVERSION BILL HEADLINES

Tags:  PGOV PHUM CE 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001332 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CE
SUBJECT: US OPPOSITION TO ANTI-CONVERSION BILL HEADLINES
FRONT PAGE OF LOCAL PAPER

REF: A. COLOMBO 1169

B. COLOMBO 1229

C. STATE 131741

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD FOR REASONS 1.4(b) and (d
)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001332

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CE
SUBJECT: US OPPOSITION TO ANTI-CONVERSION BILL HEADLINES
FRONT PAGE OF LOCAL PAPER

REF: A. COLOMBO 1169

B. COLOMBO 1229

C. STATE 131741

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD FOR REASONS 1.4(b) and (d
)


1. (U) On July 31 a Sunday Times newspaper's front-page
headline read "US warns Lanka on religious bill." The
article, which listed no author or sources, cited Christine
Rocca's meeting with Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US Bernard
Gunatilleke. It purported that Rocca warned that if the Sri
Lankan parliament passed an anti-conversion bill, the action
could have adverse consequences on US aid and trade
concessions to Sri Lanka. The article continued that the
Ambassador had been "given assurances at the highest level"
that the bill would not be passed.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


2. (C) On July 14, President Kumaratunga had privately
assured the Ambassador that the bill would not move forward
in parliament (Reftel B). The President and Foreign Minister
Kardigamar had said that it would be best if the US and other
outside parties kept a low public profile on the issue. The
Sunday Times article was not helpful in that regard.


3. (C) The article did not cite the date of Rocca's meeting
with Gunatilleke, which occurred July 6. The Sri Lankan
Embassy in Washington DC assured pressoff that they had not
released news about the meeting.
LUNSTEAD