SRI LANKA: NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE ON NPT PREPCOM

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000429 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INS AND ISN/MNSA - SCOTT DAVIS/TERRILL RAY/STEVE ADAMS GENEVA FOR CD UNVIE FOR IAEA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KNNP MNUC PARM PREL NPT IAEA CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE ON NPT PREPCOM DEMARCHES REF: A. SECSTATE 45218 ¶B. SECSTATE 43044 ¶1. Post delivered ref A and B demarches to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs UN and Multilateral Affairs Division on April 25 and 30, respectively. Deputy DG Samantha Pathirana told Econoff April 30 that he was familiar with the NPT PrepCom II process and asked which countries we expected to co-sponsor the ref A position papers. Econoff replied that we were seeking co-sponsors now and encouraged Sri Lanka to join in sponsoring one or both papers. Pathirana said he would study the non-papers, but that the Ministry would not likely have a position on either of our messages this week. ¶2. Action request: If Department would like Post to reply to Pathirana's query about possible co-sponsors for our NPT papers, please convey that list to post. BLAKE