DEMARCHE: PSI ENDORSEMENT BY THE 2/13 2006 ASTOP

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000212 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NP, T, EAP, ISN/RA MATTHEW STUMPF, AND SA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2016 TAGS: MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA PREL KNNP XC CE SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: PSI ENDORSEMENT BY THE 2/13 2006 ASTOP REF: STATE 10727 Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle; Reason 1.5D ¶1. (C) DCM joined Australian High Commissioner French, Japanese Ambassador Suda, British High Commissioner Evans and Canadian Charge' Shea in February 9 Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) demarche (reftel) on Foreign Secretary H.G.M.S. Palihakkara. French presented reftel points, focusing on the Pacific Protector exercise in Darwin and the late May PSI third anniversary event in Poland. French noted that previous Sri Lankan expressions of interest had been favorably noted in PSI capitals and expressed hope that Sri Lanka could publicly endorse the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles (SIP) as soon as possible but especially in time to attend the May Poland meeting. DCM endorsed French's presentation and noted the U.S. commitment to interdicting WMD and other illicit items was best illustrated by our recent inauguration of the Container Security Initiative and Megaports programs in the port of Colombo. Suda said his government would be very interested in exploring issues that had previously prevented Sri Lanka from endorsing PSI. ¶2. (C) Palihakkara thanked French for the presentation and stated that Sri Lanka remained very interested in PSI. As an expression of that interest, Sri Lanka would send a naval officer to participate as an observer at Pacific Protector. Palihakkara continued that Sri Lanka, given its long struggle with the terrorist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was attuned to all levels of proliferation ("For us, a Kalashnikov is a weapon of mass destruction!"). He indicated that Sri Lanka had initially been concerned by the "narrow" nature of PSI's WMD focus rather than an "all encompassing" approach, but now realized that the principles established by PSI could be applied to any sort of global interdiction scheme. As an example of Sri Lanka's commitment to interdiction and non-proliferation, Palihakkara highlighted the fact that Sri Lankan UN Permrep Prasad Kariyawasam had been elected President of the Prepcom for the Review Conference on Illicit Small Arms Trade to be held this summer in New York. ¶3. (C) Palihakkara said Sri Lanka would look carefully at the report on Pacific Protector from its observer ("we are very interested in how PSI would be practically applied in a real situation"),would follow with great interest other Asian countries attitudes and actions on PSI and said his government would appreciate more information about the Poland meeting. He concluded by hinting broadly that Sri Lanka probably will publicly state its support for PSI principles "after Darwin but in time for Poland." ¶4. (C) Comment. We seem to be pushing on an open door and will continue to discuss PSI with relevant Sri Lankan officials. Note that reftel points on the AISTOP meeting in Tokyo were not raised since, according to the Australian and Japanese chiefs of mission, Japan decided not to invite Sri Lanka in order to focus the meeting on ASEAN members. End Comment LUNSTEAD