Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
97COLOMBO3477
1997-09-09 10:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
LTTE ATTACKS SHIP CHARTERED BY US
how-toP 091025Z SEP 97 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0636 INFO AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY COMSEVENTHFLT CINCPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N2/N3// USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J2/J233// JICPAC HONOLULU HI//IA4/IT3/0IX/OSS// USMISSION USUN NEW YORK CDRUSARPAC FT SHAFTER HI//APOP-IM// AMEMBASSY BANGKOK AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE AMEMBASSY PANAMA AMCONSUL KARACHI AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMCONSUL CHENNAI AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY DHAKA AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI DIA WASHINGTON DC AMEMBASSY BEIJING AMEMBASSY JAKARTA AMEMBASSY SEOUL
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 003477
DEPT FOR SA/INS
KATHMANDU PLEASE PASS A/S INDERFURTH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/07
TAGS: MOPS PTER PREF PGOV EWWT CE
SUBJECT: LTTE ATTACKS SHIP CHARTERED BY US
COMPANY
REP: COLOMBO 2714
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 003477
DEPT FOR SA/INS
KATHMANDU PLEASE PASS A/S INDERFURTH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/07
TAGS: MOPS PTER PREF PGOV EWWT CE
SUBJECT: LTTE ATTACKS SHIP CHARTERED BY US
COMPANY
REP: COLOMBO 2714
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY: MICHAEL OWEN, ECONOMIC
COUNSELOR. REASON 1.5 (D)
2. (C) INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE THAT AT
APPROXIMATELY 0100 LOCAL TIME SEPTEMBER 9, THE
LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM (LTTE)
ATTACKED THE MERCHANT VESSEL "CORDIALITY"
WHICH WAS ANCHORED OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF
SRI LANKA NEAR THE TOWN OF PULMODDAI,
APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES NORTH OF TRINCOMALEE.
UP TO 20 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED,
WOUNDED OR MISSING IN THE ATTACK, INCLUDING
LOCAL WORKERS, FOREIGN CREWMEN (POSSIBLY
CHINESE),AND ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL GUARDING
THE SHIP. THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF AMCITS ON
BOARD. BY LATE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 9, THE
SHIP'S ENGINE ROOM WAS REPORTEDLY ON FIRE AND
THE SHIP IN DANGER OF SINKING. SRI LANKAN
NAVY PERSONNEL WERE ATTEMPTING TO EXTINGUISH
THE FIRE.
3. (C) THE M/V CORDIALITY IS REPORTEDLY
OWNED BY THE CHINA OCEAN SHIPPING COMPANY, A
CHINESE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE; IT WAS
REGISTERED IN PANAMA AND FLYING A PANAMANIAN
FLAG. THE SHIP WAS UNDER CHARTER BY THE U.S.
COMPANY "ACI CHEMICALS, INC." OF GREAT NECK,
NEW YORK, TO TRANSPORT 30,000 TONS OF
ILMENITE, A MINERAL SAND, FROM SRI LANKA TO
ROTTERDAM AND THEN, POSSIBLY, TO THE UNITED
STATES.
4. (C) COMMENT: THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT
INVOLVING CIVILIAN SHIPPING SINCE JULY 1 (SEE
REFTEL),BUT THE FIRST OCCASION WHEN A SHIP
SAILING UNDER U.S. CHARTER HAS BEEN ATTACKED.
IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT THE LTTE WOULD HAVE BEEN
AWARE THAT THERE WERE U.S. INTERESTS AT STAKE
WHEN ITS CADRES ATTACKED THE "CORDIALITY".
HOWEVER, IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT
THE LTTE IS WILLING TO ATTACK FOREIGN
INTERESTS IN ITS EFFORTS TO INTERDICT SHIPPING
TO THE NORTH. END COMMENT.
SMYTH
DEPT FOR SA/INS
KATHMANDU PLEASE PASS A/S INDERFURTH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/07
TAGS: MOPS PTER PREF PGOV EWWT CE
SUBJECT: LTTE ATTACKS SHIP CHARTERED BY US
COMPANY
REP: COLOMBO 2714
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY: MICHAEL OWEN, ECONOMIC
COUNSELOR. REASON 1.5 (D)
2. (C) INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE THAT AT
APPROXIMATELY 0100 LOCAL TIME SEPTEMBER 9, THE
LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM (LTTE)
ATTACKED THE MERCHANT VESSEL "CORDIALITY"
WHICH WAS ANCHORED OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF
SRI LANKA NEAR THE TOWN OF PULMODDAI,
APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES NORTH OF TRINCOMALEE.
UP TO 20 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED,
WOUNDED OR MISSING IN THE ATTACK, INCLUDING
LOCAL WORKERS, FOREIGN CREWMEN (POSSIBLY
CHINESE),AND ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL GUARDING
THE SHIP. THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF AMCITS ON
BOARD. BY LATE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 9, THE
SHIP'S ENGINE ROOM WAS REPORTEDLY ON FIRE AND
THE SHIP IN DANGER OF SINKING. SRI LANKAN
NAVY PERSONNEL WERE ATTEMPTING TO EXTINGUISH
THE FIRE.
3. (C) THE M/V CORDIALITY IS REPORTEDLY
OWNED BY THE CHINA OCEAN SHIPPING COMPANY, A
CHINESE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE; IT WAS
REGISTERED IN PANAMA AND FLYING A PANAMANIAN
FLAG. THE SHIP WAS UNDER CHARTER BY THE U.S.
COMPANY "ACI CHEMICALS, INC." OF GREAT NECK,
NEW YORK, TO TRANSPORT 30,000 TONS OF
ILMENITE, A MINERAL SAND, FROM SRI LANKA TO
ROTTERDAM AND THEN, POSSIBLY, TO THE UNITED
STATES.
4. (C) COMMENT: THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT
INVOLVING CIVILIAN SHIPPING SINCE JULY 1 (SEE
REFTEL),BUT THE FIRST OCCASION WHEN A SHIP
SAILING UNDER U.S. CHARTER HAS BEEN ATTACKED.
IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT THE LTTE WOULD HAVE BEEN
AWARE THAT THERE WERE U.S. INTERESTS AT STAKE
WHEN ITS CADRES ATTACKED THE "CORDIALITY".
HOWEVER, IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT
THE LTTE IS WILLING TO ATTACK FOREIGN
INTERESTS IN ITS EFFORTS TO INTERDICT SHIPPING
TO THE NORTH. END COMMENT.
SMYTH