SRI LANKA UNDECIDED ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000157 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, SCA/INS AND SCA/RA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL UN UNMIK YI CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA UNDECIDED ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE REF: STATE 013716 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama on February 11, urging the Government of Sri Lanka to recognize Kosovo's independence if Kosovo issues such a declaration. Ambassador noted that the U.S. does not consider Kosovo independence a precedent for separatism in Sri Lanka, and that the U.S. will continue to strongly support Sri Lanka's unity and territorial integrity. Bogollogama responded that this issue would be decided at the Cabinet level, and that the GSL would take U.S. views into consideration. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: There are two factors that may lead the GSL to reject a declaration of independence by Kosovo. First, the GSL would not want to jeopardize its military aid from Russia. Second, the GSL may determine that the LTTE would derive a propaganda benefit for its separatist agenda by any moves to recognize Kosovo's independence, thus dealing a blow to GSL efforts to defeat the LTTE. BLAKE