Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK340
2009-03-31 23:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:
UN/OCHA DEMARCHE REQUEST - NEXT STEPS ON SRI LANKA
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUCNDT #0340 0902324 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 312324Z MAR 09 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6236 INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 0267 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2524
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000340
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM CE
SUBJECT: UN/OCHA DEMARCHE REQUEST - NEXT STEPS ON SRI LANKA
REF: STATE 29272
Classified By: AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000340
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM CE
SUBJECT: UN/OCHA DEMARCHE REQUEST - NEXT STEPS ON SRI LANKA
REF: STATE 29272
Classified By: AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
1. (C) On March 31, Ambassador DiCarlo raised reftel points
with U/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, after
speaking over the weekend with A/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs
Catherine Bragg. Regarding the proposed Secretary-General,s
statement on Sri Lanka, Holmes said the UN is working on a
strong statement, and is considering how to address the issue
of a humanitarian pause. He noted that the pause would need
to be of an appropriate length, and asked for U.S. views on
this.
2. (C) On the return of Special Representative Kaelin,
Humanitarian Affairs officer spoke with Kaelin,s advisor on
March 30 and was told that the government of Sri Lanka had
extended an invitation that day to Kaelin. The news of the
invitation is scheduled to be announced this week. Kaelin's
advisor noted that USG interventions helped to pave the way
for the Sri Lankans to extend this invitation and thanked the
U.S. for its support.
3. (C) Regarding the possibility of the UN announcing a
special envoy, there is resistance to this idea from the UN
Secretariat. Holmes and others in the Secretariat think that
they can make more progress through discreet channels.
However, Holmes agreed that if the UN does not make progress
soon, it will need to consider other mechanisms. According
to Holmes, the government of Sri Lanka is strongly opposed to
a Special Envoy and it will take a lot of convincing to get
them to agree.
Rice
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM CE
SUBJECT: UN/OCHA DEMARCHE REQUEST - NEXT STEPS ON SRI LANKA
REF: STATE 29272
Classified By: AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
1. (C) On March 31, Ambassador DiCarlo raised reftel points
with U/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, after
speaking over the weekend with A/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs
Catherine Bragg. Regarding the proposed Secretary-General,s
statement on Sri Lanka, Holmes said the UN is working on a
strong statement, and is considering how to address the issue
of a humanitarian pause. He noted that the pause would need
to be of an appropriate length, and asked for U.S. views on
this.
2. (C) On the return of Special Representative Kaelin,
Humanitarian Affairs officer spoke with Kaelin,s advisor on
March 30 and was told that the government of Sri Lanka had
extended an invitation that day to Kaelin. The news of the
invitation is scheduled to be announced this week. Kaelin's
advisor noted that USG interventions helped to pave the way
for the Sri Lankans to extend this invitation and thanked the
U.S. for its support.
3. (C) Regarding the possibility of the UN announcing a
special envoy, there is resistance to this idea from the UN
Secretariat. Holmes and others in the Secretariat think that
they can make more progress through discreet channels.
However, Holmes agreed that if the UN does not make progress
soon, it will need to consider other mechanisms. According
to Holmes, the government of Sri Lanka is strongly opposed to
a Special Envoy and it will take a lot of convincing to get
them to agree.
Rice