COLOMBO PLAN ON TRACK TO RECRUIT NEW

UNCLAS COLOMBO 002118 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PREL CE SUBJECT: COLOMBO PLAN ON TRACK TO RECRUIT NEW SECRETARY-GENERAL SIPDIS REF: STATE 200147 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 5. ¶2. (SBU) On December 21 Ambassador Blake met with Pakistani High Commissioner Shahzad Chaudhry, currently serving as President of the Colombo Plan Council (CPC). The Ambassador explained US objections to an extension on Colombo Plan Secretary-General Kittipan's tenure and said we had informed SIPDIS Kittipan of our decision (reference December 14 Chakravorty-Browne e-mail). Chaudhry agreed that Kittipan should leave office when his term expires in June 2007, and said that a sub-committee within the CPC had even discussed whether Kittipan should be asked to resign immediately following the incident in which he attempted to take USD 180,000 in cash out of Sri Lanka (reftel). The sub-committee decided to permit Kittipan to finish his tenure and exit gracefully, Chaudhry said. He reported that he informed Kittipan his term of office will not be extended. He added that the issue of recruiting Kittipan's replacement is on the agenda for the January 31 CPC meeting, and he will work with others to expedite the process of finding suitable candidates. Ambassador Blake said he will attend the January 31 meeting to express the US position, and Chaudhry said that would be useful for the CPC. ¶3. (SBU) Chaudhry assessed that Kittipan was using delaying tactics to avoid having to recruit a successor. For example, Chaudhry said, Kittipan has not yet produced the minutes of the CPC meeting at which the Council denied his extension. In fact, when the DCM met with Kittipan December 14, Kittipan claimed the Council had not yet decided whether he should receive an extension (reference Chakravorty-Browne e-mail December 14). Chaudhry and the Ambassador agreed that Kittipan must leave office as soon as his tenure ends in June, and Chaudhry will work with the CPC to ensure this happens. ¶4. (SBU) Chaudhry also noted that Kittipan claimed other Colombo Plan officials have carried large amounts of cash outside of Sri Lanka due to a lack of banking facilities in countries where Drug Advisory Program (DAP) initiatives are held. Chaudhry seeks to create more financial transparency and accountability, and suggested that each country channel donations to specific programs through their own Embassies in countries where programs are held. ¶5. (SBU) Action Request: Chaudhry's idea of having donor country Embassies in program countries distribute and monitor funds strikes us as a feasible way to increase accountability and transparency. Post requests that INL and IO look into this possibility for channelling funds to DAP initiatives. BLAKE