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

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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

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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
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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
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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