ICAO ASSEMBLY: SRI LANKA SUPPORT FOR U.S. RE-ELECTION TO

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001286 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/INS, IO/T LAURA LUFTIG, EEB/TRA/OTP MEGAN WALKLET-TIGHE, AND USICAO MONTREAL LAURA FAUX-GABLE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR PREL AORC ICAO CE SUBJECT: ICAO ASSEMBLY: SRI LANKA SUPPORT FOR U.S. RE-ELECTION TO THE COUNCIL REF: STATE 115443 ¶1. (U) Summary: The Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Aviation Authority support re-election of the United States to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Sri Lanka plans to send a four-person delegation, including Minister of Ports and Aviation, Chamal Rajapakse, to the 36th Session of the ICAO Assembly on 18-28 September. End summary. ¶2. (U) On September 13, the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),Parakrama Dissanayake, told Econoff that the Government of Sri Lanka supports the re-election of the United States to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),at the 36th Session of the ICAO Assembly on 18-28 September. Dissanayake agreed, with no additional comments, on ref points underlining the importance of the U.S. in international civil aviation. He also told Econoff that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) responded affirmatively to U.S. membership in the ICAO Council. No additional comments or queries were made by either the CAA or the MFA. ¶3. (U) Dissanayake confirmed that the following delegation from Sri Lanka will attend the ICAO session: Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapakse (brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse); Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Aviation G.S. Withanage; Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. Chandima Rasaputra; and himself, Director of Civil Aviation, Parakrama Dissanayake. BLAKE