SRI LANKA WILL CONSIDER POINTS ON CUBA CHR

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000565

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CE UN
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA WILL CONSIDER POINTS ON CUBA CHR
RESOLUTION--BUT PROBABLY ABSTAIN


Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reason 1.4(D).


1. (C) Ambassador raised Cuba CHR Resolution with Foreign
Secretary Palihakkara on March 21, making points in reftel.

SIPDIS
Palihakkara was interested in the "minimalist" approach US
was taking this year, and asked several questions. Ambassador
provided him a copy of the draft resolution.


2. (C) Palihakkara said that the Cubans had recently sent a
Special Envoy to Colombo on this subject, and had pressed
hard for a "no" vote. The Cuban envoy had told the Sri
Lankans that Cuba had lined up a number of new "no" votes,
and only required one or two more to defeat the resolution.
Palihakkara added that, as we knew, Sri Lanka usually
abstained on the Cuba resolution, with the exception of one
year--he thought 1998--when Sri Lanka had voted against.
Palihakkara promised to study the issue.


3. (C) COMMENT: Palihakkara's body language conveyed to us
that Sri Lanka will probably stick with its abstention.
LUNSTEAD