CHAIRMAN GIVES STATUS REPORT ON AD HOC COMMITTEE

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000209 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER CE SUBJECT: CHAIRMAN GIVES STATUS REPORT ON AD HOC COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM ¶1. (SBU) On February 8, Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara hosted the Chiefs of Missions of the G-8 countries and India for a discussion concerning the outstanding issues facing the February 27 meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Terrorism (AHCT). AHCT chairman Dr. Rohan Perera (and MFA Legal Advisor) presented a broad overview of the operational and criminal definitions of terrorism, the exemptions and exclusions covered by other humanitarian laws and the introduction of political elements such as struggles for national liberation, struggles for self-determination and conflict against an occupying power. He explained that many of the political elements had been introduced by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and urged the countries present to spare no effort assisting the Chair in bringing the Comprehensive Convention of Terrorism (CCT) to its conclusion. ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT: Perera, a close Embassy contact, has done a remarkable job in guiding the AHCT thus far but this meeting was essentially preaching to the choir. Perera did not share if he would also be addressing the COMs of the OIC members in Sri Lanka. END COMMENT. LUNSTEAD