SRI LANKA SEEKS CONSENSUS IN OPPOSING ANTI-ISRAEL

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001822 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP - RAYMOND HOTZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: IS PREL CE UNGA SUBJECT: SRI LANKA SEEKS CONSENSUS IN OPPOSING ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS REF: STATE 188933 On October 18, POLOFF delivered Reftel demarche to Sumedha Ekanayake, Assistant Director of UN and Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Ekanayake said that Sri Lankan diplomats in the UN were frustrated with these obsolete bodies, (NOTE: Sri Lanka chairs the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories). Ekanayake noted, however, while the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) will not obstruct a consensus, it would not take the lead in abolishing the committees due to Sri Lanka's membership in the Non-Aligned Movement and its relations with Arab capitals. Enanayake suggested the US try to build support among moderate Arab countries, like Egypt. LUNSTEAD