SRI LANKA WILL URGE EU TO MATCH AMBITIOUS US

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001842 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SA/INS M.GOWER AND C.SIM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA WILL URGE EU TO MATCH AMBITIOUS US PROPOSAL REF: A. SECSTATE 190748 ¶B. SECSTATE 195286 AMBASSADOR PROVIDED REF A POINTS TO SRI LANKAN MINISTER OF COMMERCE JEYARAJ FERNANDOPULLE AND MINISTRY OF COMMERCE DIRECTOR GENERAL K.N. WEERASINGHE VIA LETTER ON OCTOBER 17. ECONCHIEF DELIVERED REF B POINTS DURING A FOLLOW-UP PHONE CALL WITH WEERASINGHE ON OCTOBER 24 (NOTE: WEERASINGHE IS SRI LANKA'S HIGHEST RANKING TRADE OFFICIAL. END NOTE). WEERASINGHE SAID HE HAD REVIEWED THE US PROPOSAL AND NOTED PRESS REPORTS ABOUT USTR PORTMAN'S COMMENTS THAT THE EU RESPONSE THUS FAR HAD BEEN DISAPPOINTING. WEERASINGHE SAID SRI LANKA HAD NOT PURSUED THIS ISSUE WITH THE EU, BUT THAT HE WOULD ASK THE GSL COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REP IN GENEVA TO RAISE IT "WHENEVER POSSIBLE." (NOTE: GOMI SENADHIRA, SRI LANKA'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE WTO, IS A VERY SENIOR AND CAPABLE MINSTRY OF COMMERCE OFFICIAL AND SHOULD BE ENGAGED ON THIS MATTER DIRECTLY IF POSSIBLE. END NOTE). LUNSTEAD