Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08COLOMBO157
2008-02-12 09:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA UNDECIDED ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0007 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHLM #0157 0430950 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 120950Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7687 INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1842 RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0003 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0736 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0002 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0008
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).
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
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