Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO1047
2009-11-18 12:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA WILL NOT OPPOSE UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH
how-toVZCZCXRO1370 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLM #1047 3221222 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 181222Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0788 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2059 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 9087 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7329 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5233 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3484 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5172 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0054 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0707 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4287 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9650 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6944 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0028 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1319 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3830 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001047
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB, PASS TO IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019
TAGS: EAID MOPS PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PTER UNGA CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA WILL NOT OPPOSE UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH
ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS
REF: A. STATE 118799
B. COLOMBO 1044
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER REASONS:
1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001047
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB, PASS TO IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019
TAGS: EAID MOPS PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PTER UNGA CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA WILL NOT OPPOSE UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH
ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS
REF: A. STATE 118799
B. COLOMBO 1044
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER REASONS:
1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) On November 18, PolChief delivered ref A points urging
Sri Lanka to oppose UNGA resolutions with anti-Israel bias to
Sri Lankan MFA U.N. and Multilateral Affairs Director General
(DG) Ambassador Aruni Wijewardene. Wijewardene informed us
that the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) would continue to
support the resolutions and did not anticipate any change in
the GSL's historical position on the resolutions.
Wijewardene explained that the GSL did not see the
resolutions as "anti-Israel" but rather supportive of the
Palestinian cause. DG remarked that the GSL was not
anti-Israel, had good diplomatic relationship with Israel,
and welcomed forward movement of the Middle East peace
process.
2. (C) PolChief pushed back, arguing that the resolutions
were inherently anti-Israel and support of them was by
definition a vote against Israel. He also noted the
contradiction between Sri Lanka's alleged policy of not
supporting country-specific UN Resolutions -- especially when
applied to Iran (ref.B) -- and its support for 17 UN
resolutions aimed against Israel last year and presumably a
similar number this year. Wijewardene continued to insist
that the GSL votes on the Israel resolutions were solely in
support of the Palestinians.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB, PASS TO IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019
TAGS: EAID MOPS PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PTER UNGA CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA WILL NOT OPPOSE UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH
ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS
REF: A. STATE 118799
B. COLOMBO 1044
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER REASONS:
1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) On November 18, PolChief delivered ref A points urging
Sri Lanka to oppose UNGA resolutions with anti-Israel bias to
Sri Lankan MFA U.N. and Multilateral Affairs Director General
(DG) Ambassador Aruni Wijewardene. Wijewardene informed us
that the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) would continue to
support the resolutions and did not anticipate any change in
the GSL's historical position on the resolutions.
Wijewardene explained that the GSL did not see the
resolutions as "anti-Israel" but rather supportive of the
Palestinian cause. DG remarked that the GSL was not
anti-Israel, had good diplomatic relationship with Israel,
and welcomed forward movement of the Middle East peace
process.
2. (C) PolChief pushed back, arguing that the resolutions
were inherently anti-Israel and support of them was by
definition a vote against Israel. He also noted the
contradiction between Sri Lanka's alleged policy of not
supporting country-specific UN Resolutions -- especially when
applied to Iran (ref.B) -- and its support for 17 UN
resolutions aimed against Israel last year and presumably a
similar number this year. Wijewardene continued to insist
that the GSL votes on the Israel resolutions were solely in
support of the Palestinians.
BUTENIS