Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO994
2009-10-28 12:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDS TO WAR INCIDENTS REPORT
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C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000994
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDS TO WAR INCIDENTS REPORT
REF: A. SECSTATE 109032
B. SECSTATE 109500
C. COLOMBO 988
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER. REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000994
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDS TO WAR INCIDENTS REPORT
REF: A. SECSTATE 109032
B. SECSTATE 109500
C. COLOMBO 988
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER. REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) On October 28, Ambassador was called in by Foreign
Minister Bogollagama to discuss the response of the Sri
Lankan government (GSL) to the U.S. Report on Incidents in
the Recent Conflict. The FM said the GSL was not satisfied
with the report and they understood it reached no legal
conclusions. But he said they were "mindful of our
responsibility to our own people," and President Rajapaksa
said he wanted to examine it. In that vein, the president
had decided to form the group of eminent persons to formulate
the GSL response to the report and to engage with us on it.
He said the first phase of the GSL response was characterized
by the government's initial public statement; now we had
entered the phase of examining the substance of the report.
Finally, Bogollagama claimed the MFA would have the "formal
responsibility" of communicating with the U.S. on GSL
thinking on the report and follow-up actions. He referred to
colleagues in other ministries who had already begun
discussing the report in public and essentially warned that
we should not pay attention to them. Rather, we should
consider our discussions on the report "classified" and
should confine them to the MFA, State Department, and our
embassies. "The less public discussion of this the better,"
he opined.
2. (C) COMMENT: Bogollagama's statements on the report were
generally in line with the relatively moderate tone that we
have heard from GSL officials since the report appeared last
week. Acknowledgment that they have a responsibility to
their own people in terms of the report is an important first
step. We will watch closely to see whether they take the
next crucial step of truly empowering the eminent persons
group and giving it independence. As for Bogollagama's claim
that his ministry alone had responsibility for dealing with
the United States on the report, he has tried this
consolidation act on other issues in the past. We will
continue to engage on the report with any GSL entity that
wishes to do so until President Rajapaksa asks us to deal
only with Bogollagama.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDS TO WAR INCIDENTS REPORT
REF: A. SECSTATE 109032
B. SECSTATE 109500
C. COLOMBO 988
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER. REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).
1. (C) On October 28, Ambassador was called in by Foreign
Minister Bogollagama to discuss the response of the Sri
Lankan government (GSL) to the U.S. Report on Incidents in
the Recent Conflict. The FM said the GSL was not satisfied
with the report and they understood it reached no legal
conclusions. But he said they were "mindful of our
responsibility to our own people," and President Rajapaksa
said he wanted to examine it. In that vein, the president
had decided to form the group of eminent persons to formulate
the GSL response to the report and to engage with us on it.
He said the first phase of the GSL response was characterized
by the government's initial public statement; now we had
entered the phase of examining the substance of the report.
Finally, Bogollagama claimed the MFA would have the "formal
responsibility" of communicating with the U.S. on GSL
thinking on the report and follow-up actions. He referred to
colleagues in other ministries who had already begun
discussing the report in public and essentially warned that
we should not pay attention to them. Rather, we should
consider our discussions on the report "classified" and
should confine them to the MFA, State Department, and our
embassies. "The less public discussion of this the better,"
he opined.
2. (C) COMMENT: Bogollagama's statements on the report were
generally in line with the relatively moderate tone that we
have heard from GSL officials since the report appeared last
week. Acknowledgment that they have a responsibility to
their own people in terms of the report is an important first
step. We will watch closely to see whether they take the
next crucial step of truly empowering the eminent persons
group and giving it independence. As for Bogollagama's claim
that his ministry alone had responsibility for dealing with
the United States on the report, he has tried this
consolidation act on other issues in the past. We will
continue to engage on the report with any GSL entity that
wishes to do so until President Rajapaksa asks us to deal
only with Bogollagama.
BUTENIS