CUBA AT UNHRC: GSL UNDER INTERNAL PRESSURE, ALMOST

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000672 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/UNP AND SA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2015 TAGS: PHUM PREL CE UNHRC SUBJECT: CUBA AT UNHRC: GSL UNDER INTERNAL PRESSURE, ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL ABSTAIN REF: A. (A) COLOMBO 663 ¶B. (B) COLOMBO 606 (NOTAL) ¶C. (C) COLOMBO 565 (NOTAL) ¶D. (D) COLOMBO 516 (NOTAL) ¶E. (E) STATE 49957 Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reasons 1.4(B)(D). ¶1. (C) Ambassador called Foreign Minister Kadirgamar April 6 to discuss Cuba resolution. Ambassador said that he had raised the issue with President Kumaratunga who had said she would discuss it with the Minister. Kadirgamar said that the GSL had "given this very close attention" and "tried to see if we could do something." But, Kadirgamar said, "we are under enormous pressure" internally, referring to the Cuban-inspired JVP-led campaign for a "no" vote on the resolution - see ref (A). ¶2. (C) As a result, Kadirgamar said, the best that Sri Lanka could do was an abstention, adding that "we certainly won't vote against." Ambassador said that this was disappointing and that this vote was of crucial importance in Washington. A clearly uncomfortable Kadirgamar said that Sri Lanka was considering making a statement after the vote noting that it did not condone the human rights situation in Cuba. Ambassador said that the vote was expected to be close this year due to changes in the composition of the HRC, and that if the resolution were defeated, a statement would be of little benefit. Kadirgamar said that he did not want to mislead us on Sri Lanka's position, and it looked like an abstention. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: It seems that while President Kumaratunga is duking it out with the JVP over issues like education and the future of that state-owned petroleum and power companies, she does not want to take on the JVP on the Cuba issue. We will continue to press, but realistically an abstention is most likely. LUNSTEAD