REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001522 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015 TAGS: MOPS PREL PTER KAWC PHUM PREF PINR CE SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN DETAINEES FROM GUANTANAMO: SRI LANKA REF: STATE 158272 Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires, a.i. James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Charge' raised reftel situation of Uighur Guantanamo detainees with Foreign Ministry Secretary H.G.M.S. Palihakkara August 31 and asked SIPDIS for Sri Lankan assistance. Palihakkara replied that "we'd like to do it," but that accepting the Uighurs would "create problems with our Chinese friends" and lead to pressure from Beijing "that we probably couldn't withstand." The Secretary underlined that improving relations with Beijing is a high Sri Lankan foreign policy priority, as illustrated by the fact that President Kumaratunga is in China this week with a large commercial delegation. ¶2. (C) Comment/Assessment: Sri Lanka is indeed doing all it can to improve ties with Beijing at present. A number of local commentators focused on the fact that President Kumaratunga went forward with her long-scheduled trip to Beijing despite the unsettled domestic situation here in the wake of the announcement of Presidential elections and the August 12 assassination of the Foreign Minister. Beyond the desire for improved political and commercial ties with China, Sri Lanka is faced with a large internally displaced population of its own, both from the years of war and last December's tsunami. While Sri Lanka usually tries to be helpful on issues of importance to Washington, we unfortunately see nothing to be gained by raising the Uighur issue here again. ENTWISTLE