Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06COLOMBO805
2006-05-17 10:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

DUTCH AMBASSADOR REGISTERS LOCAL EU CONCERN WITH

Tags:  PTER PREL CE EU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7634
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DE RUEHLM #0805 1371007
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171007Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3393
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 9197
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6087
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 4122
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3008
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9635
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 3095
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0232
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0233
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2167
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 6640
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 4532
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0387
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1192
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000805 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL CE EU
SUBJECT: DUTCH AMBASSADOR REGISTERS LOCAL EU CONCERN WITH
PDAS CAMP COMMENTS ON LTTE LISTING


Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires, a.i. James F. Entwistle for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000805

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL CE EU
SUBJECT: DUTCH AMBASSADOR REGISTERS LOCAL EU CONCERN WITH
PDAS CAMP COMMENTS ON LTTE LISTING


Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires, a.i. James F. Entwistle for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Dutch Ambassador Reynout Van Dijk called
on Charge' May 17 in his capacity as the
representative of the EU Presidency to complain
about SCA PDAS Donald Camp's May 16 statement
during a television interview in Colombo that the
U.S. encouraged the European Union to list the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a
terrorist organization (full text of PDAS Camp
comments on the EU below). Van Dijk told Charge'
that local EU chiefs of mission felt it was
inappropriate for a "diplomatic position between
the U.S. and the EU to be revealed publicly."
Moreover, Van Dijk continued, the timing was
particularly unfortunate since the EU is meeting
in Brussels today to discuss LTTE listing. If the
EU lists the Tigers or imposes sanctions, Van Dijk
stated, the public impression will now be that the
EU is acting in response to a U.S. request rather
than formulating its own position. Van Dijk
commented that he has worked hard in Colombo to
convince local EU chiefs of mission that the
Tigers should be listed ("which they richly
deserve") and has undertaken similar efforts with
"skeptics in Brussels." He now fears that those
efforts may founder since some EU members may vote
against listing to avoid the impression that the
EU "does what the U.S. tells it to do."


2. (C) Charge' told Van Dijk that PDAS Camp's
comments on the EU (prominently featured in the
local English-language media on May 17) reflected
a long-held U.S. position that should not be a
surprise to anyone. Of course, the remarks had
not been intended to complicate the EU effort to
list the LTTE, a process that the U.S. fully
supports. Charge' underlined that, in his view,
U.S.-EU cooperation in Sri Lanka on the LTTE and
all other issues was excellent and would continue
to be. Charge' undertook to convey Van Dijk's
concerns to Washington.


3. (U) Relevant portion of transcript of PDAS
Camp's May 16 interviews with two local TV
stations follows:

Begin text


Q. What is your government's position on
attempts by the EU to list the LTTE as a
terrorist group?


A. We have encouraged the EU to list the
LTTE. We think the LTTE is very
deserving of that label. We think it
will help cut off financial supplies and
weapons procurement and the like.

End text
ENTWISTLE