POLAND INTERESTED IN COORDINATED APPROACH TO SRI

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000931 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CE (GLANTZ) AND SCA/INSB (RENZULLI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PREF PTER MASS SOCI EAID CE PL SUBJECT: POLAND INTERESTED IN COORDINATED APPROACH TO SRI LANKA REF: STATE 92641 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Craig M. Conway for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Anna Krzak-Danel, Sri Lanka desk officer in the MFA's Asia-Pacific Department, welcomed reftel points on IDP freedom of movement and said they would be helpful in developing Poland's position for the upcoming EU debate. To this end, Krzak-Danel said Sri Lanka had fallen off next week's GAERC agenda, but the issue would be discussed by EU Political Directors during a September 14 dinner meeting. She said the current debate revolved around whether to apply outright pressure on the GSL or to offer assistance conditioned on greater freedom of movement for the IDPs. Krzak-Danel thought Poland would prefer the latter approach, but the GOP had not yet determined its final position. She added that the EU Political Directors might not decide the issue next week and, if not, would await the recommendations of EU experts tentatively scheduled to meet at the end of September. Krzak-Danel said Poland would urge the EU to coordinate its approach with other major donors, especially the U.S. and Japan, regardless of the outcome of the EU discussions. ¶2. (C) Krzak-Danel noted that Poland's influence within Sri Lanka is limited. Warsaw does not maintain an embassy in Colombo (bilateral relations were handled by the Polish Embassy in New Delhi). Poland's national assistance program is modest, amounting to only 50,000 euros for a water and sewage project in eastern Sri Lanka. ASHE