Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO181
2007-01-31 10:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

SRI LANKA TO SIGN ACQUISITION AND CROSS SERVICING

Tags:  MARR PREL MOPS CE 
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VZCZCXRO3398
OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #0181 0311027
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311027Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5280
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 9853
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 6795
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 4863
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0564
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 7362
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 5096
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000181 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA AND PM/PPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PREL MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA TO SIGN ACQUISITION AND CROSS SERVICING
AGREEMENT (ACSA)

REF: A. COLOMBO 0112

B. 06 STATE 3112

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000181

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA AND PM/PPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PREL MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA TO SIGN ACQUISITION AND CROSS SERVICING
AGREEMENT (ACSA)

REF: A. COLOMBO 0112

B. 06 STATE 3112


1. On December 7, 2006, Ambassador and Office of Defense
Cooperation (ODC) Chief met with Sri Lankan Defense Secretary
Gothabaya Rajapaksa to provide background information (see
para 4) on a Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA)
and a the draft ACSA proposed for signature. See paragraph 5
for background on the ACSA Agreement.


2. On January 25, 2007, Secretary Rajapaksa provided
concurrence to ODC Chief on the proposed agreement.
Secretary Rajapaksa stated that he was ready to sign the

SIPDIS
agreement at anytime convenient to the U.S. PACOM J42 is the
lead organization and will coordinate with Embassy ODC to
facilitate the signing at a mutually agreed upon time.

Risk of Misunderstanding
--------------


3. The USG faces some risk that the Government of Sri Lanka
might seek to exploit the signing to convey the USG's support
for possible ongoing offensive military operations. The
Embassy therefore recommends the Ambassador sign the
agreement in a low-key ceremony with Secretary Rajapaksa in
late February. The Sri Lankan military is presently engaged
in mop-up operations against the LTTE in eastern Sri Lanka.
However, the Defense Secretary and other military leaders
have hinted they are considering further offensive military
operations in northern Sri Lanka. The USG has informed the
GSL that we oppose large scale offensive military operations
because we believe the Government should focus on developing
a power-sharing proposal that can form the basis for peace
negotiations with the LTTE. We recommend holding off on the
signing ceremony until late February when we will have a
clearer idea of the Sri Lankan military's intentions. We
also do not wish to detract attention from the Sri Lankan
Commission of Inquiry (on human rights) and the work of the
International Independent Group of Expert Persons who will
arrive in Sri Lanka the second week of February to observe
the work of the Commission.


4. Since the ACSA benefits U.S. forces transiting through
the region, and since the GSL might leak news of the signing,
the Embassy proposes to have the Ambassador sign the ACSA
with the Defense Secretary with a select number of
photographers and no statements. The Embassy will then issue
a press release following the ceremony explaining the purpose
of the ACSA.

Background on ACSA
--------------


5. Background (as provided to Sri Lankan government): The
Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) as
authorized by Congress and approved by the Office of the
Secretary of Defense (OSD) is an agreement between the

SIPDIS
Department of Defense and Sri Lanka Ministry of Defense.
This agreement facilitates reciprocal logistic support during
combined exercises, training, deployments, operations, or
other cooperative efforts, and assists in contingencies in
which Sri Lanka or the United States may have a need of
logistic support, supplies, and services. The ACSA is not a
treaty and does not guarantee support will be provided.
Rather, it is a streamlined process in accordance with U.S.
law to provide and receive logistical support without the
lengthy Foreign Military Sales process to which both parties
must agree before any transaction can occur. The transaction
can be in the form of cash exchange, assistance-in-kind, or
even value exchange.

BLAKE