Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO663
2005-04-05 07:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

SRI LANKA: PRESIDENT MAKES NO COMMITMENTS ON CHR

Tags:  PHUM PREL CE UNHRC 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000663 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IO/UNP AND SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2015
TAGS: PHUM PREL CE UNHRC
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: PRESIDENT MAKES NO COMMITMENTS ON CHR
CUBA RESOLUTION

REF: A. COLOMBO 606 (NOTAL)

B. COLOMBO 565 (NOTAL)

C. COLOMBO 516 (NOTAL)

D. STATE 49957

Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000663

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IO/UNP AND SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2015
TAGS: PHUM PREL CE UNHRC
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: PRESIDENT MAKES NO COMMITMENTS ON CHR
CUBA RESOLUTION

REF: A. COLOMBO 606 (NOTAL)

B. COLOMBO 565 (NOTAL)

C. COLOMBO 516 (NOTAL)

D. STATE 49957

Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) In a March 29 meeting with President Chandrika
Kumaratunga during the visit of Millennium Challenge
Corporation CEO Paul Applegarth, Ambassador raised the
resolution on Cuba. As in previous demarches (Refs A-C),
Ambassador stressed the closeness of last year's vote, the
composition of this year's committee, and the importance of
the vote to the U.S. He reviewed for Kumaratunga the
differences between this year's proposed resolution and last
year's and urged Sri Lanka to shift its position from
abstention to a yes vote. The President said that she would
discuss the matter with the Foreign Minister but offered no
other assurances.


2. (C) Comment: The Cubans, with whom the Sri Lankans have
good relations as part of their membership in the Non-Aligned
Movement, have been conducting a full-court press of their
own on this issue. The membership of the pro-Marxist Janatha
Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) as a partner in the governing
coalition further complicates prospects for a Sri Lankan yes
vote. The April 4 edition of the state-owned English daily
carried a story reporting the Cuban Ambassador's efforts to
win Government of Sri Lanka support to defeat the resolution,
including, apparently, enlisting the aid of JVP Cabient
ministers to mount a petition drive among "prominent Sri
Lankan scholars, artistes, media personnel and the general
public . . . to support Cuba." Given current domestic
political atmospherics, we believe a yes vote is unlikely.
We will continue to press with the Foreign Minister and
others as appropriate and available.
LUNSTEAD