MALDIVES: IN MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR, PRESIDENT IS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000694

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS
NSC FOR DORMANDY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES: IN MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR, PRESIDENT IS
POSITIVE ON GORM'S RELIEF FUND AND POLITICAL REFORM PROCESS

Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: In an April 7 meeting with President
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Ambassador Lunstead briefed the
Maldivian president on the current situation regarding
additional USG tsunami rehabilitation assistance. In
response, Gayoom underscored the flexibility and
accountability of the government's National Fund, established
for tsunami assistance donations. President Gayoom provided
an update on the political reform process, stating he
believed the Special Majlis would begin substantive work
shortly on proposed reforms. Viewed from the top, everything
in Maldives seems under control as usual. While the
government tsunami recovery effort is impressive, the
political reform process has not yet received the same level
of attention. End Summary.


2. (C) In an April 7 meeting with Maldivian President
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Ambassador Lunstead discussed USG
tsunami assistance funding options and inquired about the

SIPDIS
progress of the on-going political reform process. Abdulla
Shahid, President Gayoom's Executive Secretary, Dr. Ahmed
Shaheed, Chief Government Spokesman, and Dr. Hala Hameed,
Director General of the President's Office also attend.
Poloff participated as notetaker.

--------------
Tsunami assistance

SIPDIS
--------------


3. (C) In preparation for his end of April trip to
Washington, Ambassador said he wanted to discuss tsunami
reconstruction and funding developments to be able to brief
officials in Washington. The Ambassador informed President
Gayoom about President Bush's tsunami funding supplemental
request currently being debated by Congress and the various
assistance funding mechanisms for Maldives that were under
consideration. President Gayoom expressed thanks for the
information about possible supplemental funding, noting that
his country had "ambitious reconstruction programs." It will
take $406 million to restore Maldives to its pre-tsunami
situation, Gayoom stated.


4. (C) The Ambassador commented that many people were
impressed with Government of the Republic of Maldives' (GORM)
organization and reconstruction planning, including former
U.S. Presidents Bush and Clinton and officials who attended
the assistance meeting in Manila. The Ambassador also
informed President Gayoom about the upcoming private sector
tsunami relief summit, scheduled to take place in Washington

SIPDIS
in May, about which Gayoom was unaware. Ambassador urged
Gayoom to take advantage of this meeting to showcase his
government's efforts and seek private sector assistance.


5. (C) Regarding official USG assistance, the Ambassador
noted that the U.S. normally does not give funding directly
to governments, but recognized that the Maldives' situation
represented a special circumstance, especially given the
scarcity of international NGOs in Maldives. The Embassy is
having on-going discussions with officials in Washington
about how to structure assistance to Maldives, including the
possibility of using the GORM's National Fund (formerly
called Trust Fund),the Ambassador said. President Gayoom
responded that he has established a Board of Overseers for
the trust, which included UN and private sector participation.


6. (C) The President and Ambassador also discussed
development of an early warning system, especially following
the March 28 earthquake off the Sumatran coast. Maldives
experienced some higher swells on March 28, Gayoom said, but
there was no tsunami. The Ambassador encouraged Gayoom to
have the GORM forward technical-level points of contact that
could be passed to U.S. counterparts monitoring worldwide
seismic and tsunami activity.

--------------
Political reforms
--------------


7. (C) Updating the Ambassador on the political reform
process, Gayoom described the Special Majlis -- the assembly
to consider constitutional amendments -- as having "teething
problems," but estimated that the members would begin
substantive work on potential reforms in the next 45-60 days.
The President worried, however, that the Special Majlis
would not be able to complete its work within one year, as he
had requested. The Ambassador noted that the outcome will
set the tone for the country for many years to come, and the
assembly should work expeditiously, but seriously. When
asked if the members exhibited great differences of opinion
about the direction of the reforms, Gayoom replied there were
not large differences, but thought that proposals to remove
gender barriers and create a prime minstership would be the
most controversial.


8. (C) The Ambassador underscored US support for Maldives'
reform efforts, noting that change in a peaceful, open,
internally guided manner would be a great example to the
world. While acknowledging Maldives' ability to manage the
reform process, Gayoom said he still welcomed international
advice. Working through the Commonwealth, he said, the
organization was sponsoring a team of experts, including Tan
Sri Musa Hitam, former deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Gayoom thought the Special Majlis would welcome such
consultants. The Ambassador said U.S. organizations like NDI
and IRI might be able to provide assistance once the GORM
established and legalized political parties. The U.S. will
continue to look for opportunities to help, he added.

--------------
Comment
--------------


9. (C) President Gayoom seemed relaxed during the meeting
with the Ambassador, very grateful at the prospect of
significant U.S. tsunami reconstruction aid, and confident
that a mechanism could be agreed on for the use of that
assistance. While the Maldives still needs aid and
assistance to rebuild the lives and livelihoods of its
citizens, Gayoom has a good reason to be confident. The
government is well-organized in its relief efforts and quite
capable of demonstrating so to potential donors (see
septels). As rebuilding and redevelopment progress, more
people will once again refocus on the political reform
process initiated by President Gayoom a year ago. The
President will then have to demonstrate that he can spur the
Special Majlis to increase its pace and be more responsive to
people's desire for change without appearing to control its
activities. End Comment.

LUNSTEAD