Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO1814
2005-10-17 11:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

FIRST US-MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP WEEK A SUCCESS

Tags:  ECON EAID EIND ETRD PGOV PHUM KPAO OIIP PREL MV 
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.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001814 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EIND ETRD PGOV PHUM KPAO OIIP PREL MV
SUBJECT: FIRST US-MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP WEEK A SUCCESS

REFS: A) COLOMBO 1716 B) COLOMBO 1706

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001814

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EIND ETRD PGOV PHUM KPAO OIIP PREL MALDIVES'>MV
SUBJECT: FIRST US-MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP WEEK A SUCCESS

REFS: A) COLOMBO 1716 B) COLOMBO 1706


1. (SBU) Summary: The first-ever US-MALDIVES Friendship
Week ("Friendship Week") which took place on September 23-28
furthered the Mission Performance Plan (MPP) goal of stable
and secure partners worldwide and enhanced bilateral ties in
the political, economic, cultural and security realms.
Building upon the success of its annual trade show run by
the Commercial and Economic Section, Post added seminars on
visas, educational opportunities, and human rights. A range
of activities was on the docket: Ambassador and Emboffs
signed grant agreements, conducted Fulbright interviews,
exhibited a collection of photos entitled "Islam in
America," donated book sets to several libraries, and
screened hit Hollywood movies. A Navy P3 plane made a visit
and its crew met with military counterparts. Post's "July
4" reception was hosted by the Ambassador and served as the
opening event. The Ambassador and Emboffs paid calls on
numerous GORM officials, including President Gayoom. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) Post's MPP for the MALDIVES has one performance
goal: pursuing stable and secure partners worldwide.
Friendship Week was an opportunity to develop a closer
relationship with this moderate Muslim nation, through
commercial, consular and cultural programs, as well as many
meetings with GORM officials.


3. (SBU) The Ambassador held a series of discussions with
various government officials and political leaders,
including President Gayoom, opposition Maldivian Democratic
Party leaders, the Attorney General, the Home Affairs
Minister, the Atoll Development Minister, and the Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ref A). During these meetings,
the Ambassador noted the many difficult but important
changes the GORM was attempting to undertake and emphasized
the mutual responsibilities of government (to protect
freedoms of speech and assembly) and political parties (to

speak and assemble peacefully) in a democracy. He also
received assurances from the Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs that the GORM will move quickly to conclude the
bilateral agreement on tsunami aid.

COMMERCIAL OUTREACH


4. (SBU) This year's trade show saw our highest
participation yet by US companies. Food and beverage, IT,
health care, water, power generation, personal care and
transportation sectors were present. Companies or brands
included Bell Helicopter, the California Table Grape
Commission, Caterpillar, Commercial Lynks, GE, IBM, Kraft
Foods, Microsoft, and Proctor and Gamble. As a result of
this year's trade show, a participating US company has
commenced negotiations to secure a multi-million dollar
project with the MALDIVES government (GORM) for a
desalinization plant. Several other companies reported
increased possibilities for contracts in the future due to
their presence at the show.

CULTURAL OUTREACH


5. (SBU) Post's Public Affairs section organized several
events to generate goodwill and positive publicity,
including an Ambassadorial press conference, a film festival
of hit American movies and three separate book donations to
schools and libraries. Two seminars were given on higher
education opportunities in the US. In addition, Public
Affairs sponsored a speaker on forensic sciences for the
Maldivian Human Rights Commission and police. This was
particularly timely in light of recent political events. PD
also arranged the first ever grant to the MALDIVES from the
Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation to help restore
the 19th century Eid mosque. A full report on Public Affairs
activities will follow septel.

CONSULAR OUTREACH


7. (U) The Consular Section gave a seminar on Diversity
Visas to the US and another seminar on student and non-
immigrant visas. Maldivians expressed considerable interest
in student visas, educational opportunities and
scholarships, both by those who attended the seminars, and
through questions from 60 or 70 drop-ins at the trade fair.
In addition to the seminars given by the Consular and Public
Affairs Sections, a US "educational opportunities" booth was
set up at the trade show by Public Affairs. The Defense
Attache's Office also provided information at the trade fair
on appointments to US military academies.

SIDE MEETINGS AND ORIENTATION VISITS


8. (SBU) In addition to the Ambassador's discussions noted
above, embassy officials held a number of useful meetings on
the margins of Friendship Week. These included orientation
meetings for the new Defense Attache and the new Regional
Security Officer, as well as consultations with UN
officials, and economic and commercial contacts. The crew
of the Navy P3 plane, along with the Defense Attache, met
members of the Maldivian military. South Asia's
Environment, Science, Technology and Health Hub Officer from
Kathmandu selected this week to conduct consultations on
atolls development and tsunami-related matters.


9. (SBU) COMMENT: The Maldivian media gave widespread and
extremely favorable coverage of the Friendship Week and of
American culture (Ref B). This 100% Muslim country is
extremely friendly towards the US. While it is a small
island country with only 300,000 citizens, its ties with
other Islamic countries and ongoing democratic reform
process make it a country whose friendship should be
maintained and developed. Numerous contacts made during US-
MALDIVES Friendship Week, from schoolchildren to political
party leaders to media contacts to business executives, made
this week a success. Post learned a good deal this week,
through contacts made as well as through the exercise of
planning the week from Sri Lanka. This experience has
underscored the potential value of an FSN position dedicated
to the MALDIVES, as noted in the MPP. Another Friendship
Week is planned for mid-2006, and we expect it will build on
the success of our first Friendship Week.

LUNSTEAD