AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES LTTE "AIR FORCE", TSUNAMI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000606 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM PARM MCAP EAID CE CU ID UNHRC LTTE SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES LTTE "AIR FORCE", TSUNAMI RELIEF/RECONSTRUCTION, ANTI-CONVERSION BILL, CUBA WITH FOREIGN MINISTER REF: A. (A) STATE 50011 ¶B. (B) COLOMBO 557 ¶C. (C) COLOMBO 572 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD FOR REASON 1.4(D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador and Foreign Minister Kadirgamar discussed how to deal with newly-revealed LTTE air capability and Sri Lankan reports of possible additional Tiger aircraft purchases. Kadirgamar, who had just returned from a two-week trip abroad, was uninformed about GSL moves to bring anti-conversion bill to a vote, but voiced concern. They discussed continuing problems in tsunami reconstruction effort. Kadirgamar said he planned to attend the Community of Democracies ministerial in Santiago and asked for information about the meeting. Kadirgamar expressed great interest in the US-sponsored Cuba resolution in the UNHRC and promised to look into the issue. END SUMMARY Secretary's Letter and LTTE Aircraft SIPDIS -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador on March 28 called on Foreign Minister Kadirgamar, who had returned only a few days earlier from a two-week trip abroad. Ambassador presented Kadirgamar with the letter from Secretary Rice (ref a). Kadirgamar studied the letter, and he and Ambassador discussed how to deal with the revelation of LTTE air capability. He had discussed with UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw during his visit to the UK. Straw had asked if the GSL intended to "take them out." Kadirgamar said no, the government was being "attentive but not panicky" about the issue. ¶3. (C) Kadirgamar then said that he had seen just that day a new intelligence report which showed that the LTTE had purchased three additional aircraft in Indonesia, which were now crated in Jakarta and ready for shipment. Kadirgamar had called the Indonesian Ambassador and Foreign Minister to warn them, and the GOI had promised to be on the lookout. However, mused Kadirgamar, the LTTE had probably bribed GOI customs officials, so he wondered if the aircraft would slip through. Tsunami Problems SIPDIS -------------- ¶4. (C) Ambassador then informed Kadirgamar about his March 17 discussion with President Kumaratunga about problems in tsunami reconstruction process (ref b). When Ambassador SIPDIS mentioned problems US in particular was having with exemption from VAT, Kadirgamar asked Ambassador for a detailed description, and he promised he would look into the issue. Anti-Conversion Bill -------------- ¶5. (C) Ambassador then raised recent Cabinet decision to send Government-drafted anti-conversion bill to Parliament, although on condition that it would be a vote of conscience, where Government MP's could vote freely and not follow Government whip (ref c). Kadirgamar said that he had read about this in the newspapers, but did not know anything more about it yet. (Kadirgamar was abroad when the Cabinet took this action.) He wondered if President Kumaratunga had been present at the Cabinet meeting since he knew she did not support it--Ambassador told him he believed she was. Ambassador stressed that the bill was terrible and would cause an uproar in many quarters in the US and elsewhere. He noted the irony that the bill might come up for a vote in Parliament at the same time that the US Congress would be deciding on tsunami aid for Sri Lanka. Kadirgamar said he would need to look into this and get back to the Ambassador. COMMENT: The normally self-confident Kadirgamar seemed a bit nonplussed during this discussion, uncomfortable with what had happened, but unsure of the facts. He had thought the bill was dead, but it was resurrected while he was overseas. END COMMENT Community of Democracies, Cuba -------------- ¶6. (C) Ambassador mentioned Washington attention to the Community of Democracies Ministerial in Santiago at end-April and asked if Kadirgamar would attend. Kadirgamar said he was planning to go. On subject of promotion of democracy, Ambassador then raised US-sponsored Cuba resolution in Human Rights Commission and gave Kadirgamar a copy of the draft resolution. He stressed resolution was non-controversial, that this was our highest priority at HRC and hoped Sri Lanka could support it (Sri Lanka has traditionally abstained). Kadirgamar was very intrigued by the resolution. "All it asks is for a report next year," he noted with some incredulity. Kadirgamar promised to look at the issue. COMMENT: We anticipate Sri Lanka will still abstain, but clearly the different US approach this year had caught Kadirgamar's attention. We will follow up as possible. LUNSTEAD