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