Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BERLIN497
2009-04-29 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:
GERMANS AGREE WITH U.S. APPROACH TO SRI LANKA IMF
how-toVZCZCXRO2235 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHRL #0497 1191518 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291518Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3955 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 7966 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000497
STATE FOR
SCA/INS(PATEL),EEB/IFD/ODF(MONOHAN),IO/EDA(HA RRIMAN) AND
EUR/AGS(SCHROEDER)
TREASURY ICN (KOHLER) AND NUGENT
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019
TAGS: PREL EFIN ECON KDEM PHUM CE
SUBJECT: GERMANS AGREE WITH U.S. APPROACH TO SRI LANKA IMF
LOAN
REF: STATE 41959
Classified By: ECON COUNSELOR INGRID KOLLIST FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000497
STATE FOR
SCA/INS(PATEL),EEB/IFD/ODF(MONOHAN),IO/EDA(HA RRIMAN) AND
EUR/AGS(SCHROEDER)
TREASURY ICN (KOHLER) AND NUGENT
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019
TAGS: PREL EFIN ECON KDEM PHUM CE
SUBJECT: GERMANS AGREE WITH U.S. APPROACH TO SRI LANKA IMF
LOAN
REF: STATE 41959
Classified By: ECON COUNSELOR INGRID KOLLIST FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
).
1. (C) On April 28, 2009, Econoff delivered reftel points to
Steffen Meyer, Head of Division for Global Economy, Currency
Issues, IMF, and G7. Meyer said he had been in touch with
colleagues at relevant government ministries, and that
Germany shared U.S. concerns about developments in Sri Lanka.
Meyer said the German government was trying to assess the
balance of payments (BOP) crisis in Sri Lanka and would
appreciate any information the United States could share
regarding its severity. He wondered if the U.S. position
might be softening after conversations between the IMF and
Treasury Department; Econoff assured him our position had not
changed. Similar high-level exchanges between the IMF and
German Finance Ministry had taken place in recent days, Meyer
reported. He said Germany preferred that the Sri Lanka loan
issue not be brought before the IMF Board until &a positive
outcome could be reached.8 Germany did not want to be put
in the situation "where it had to say 'no,'" he explained.
Meyer was confident that Germany would join the U.S. in
keeping the pressure on the Sri Lankan government to commit
to key reforms and address the humanitarian situation.
2. (C) In a parallel demarche, Poloff delivered the reftel
points to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Asia Office
Director Gudrun Sraega) and received a similar response.
Sraega noted that the MFA was also concerned about the
advisability of providing IMF BOP support to Sri Lanka in the
current political environment. She had no other initial
comments, but promised to get back to us with details on MFA
thinking on this issue.
3. (U) Reftel points were also shared with the German
Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Post
will report any additional reactions as soon as they are
available.
Koenig
STATE FOR
SCA/INS(PATEL),EEB/IFD/ODF(MONOHAN),IO/EDA(HA RRIMAN) AND
EUR/AGS(SCHROEDER)
TREASURY ICN (KOHLER) AND NUGENT
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019
TAGS: PREL EFIN ECON KDEM PHUM CE
SUBJECT: GERMANS AGREE WITH U.S. APPROACH TO SRI LANKA IMF
LOAN
REF: STATE 41959
Classified By: ECON COUNSELOR INGRID KOLLIST FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
).
1. (C) On April 28, 2009, Econoff delivered reftel points to
Steffen Meyer, Head of Division for Global Economy, Currency
Issues, IMF, and G7. Meyer said he had been in touch with
colleagues at relevant government ministries, and that
Germany shared U.S. concerns about developments in Sri Lanka.
Meyer said the German government was trying to assess the
balance of payments (BOP) crisis in Sri Lanka and would
appreciate any information the United States could share
regarding its severity. He wondered if the U.S. position
might be softening after conversations between the IMF and
Treasury Department; Econoff assured him our position had not
changed. Similar high-level exchanges between the IMF and
German Finance Ministry had taken place in recent days, Meyer
reported. He said Germany preferred that the Sri Lanka loan
issue not be brought before the IMF Board until &a positive
outcome could be reached.8 Germany did not want to be put
in the situation "where it had to say 'no,'" he explained.
Meyer was confident that Germany would join the U.S. in
keeping the pressure on the Sri Lankan government to commit
to key reforms and address the humanitarian situation.
2. (C) In a parallel demarche, Poloff delivered the reftel
points to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Asia Office
Director Gudrun Sraega) and received a similar response.
Sraega noted that the MFA was also concerned about the
advisability of providing IMF BOP support to Sri Lanka in the
current political environment. She had no other initial
comments, but promised to get back to us with details on MFA
thinking on this issue.
3. (U) Reftel points were also shared with the German
Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Post
will report any additional reactions as soon as they are
available.
Koenig