Cablegate: Sri Lanka: Suggested U.S. Statement On The

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001951

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KPAO CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: SUGGESTED U.S. STATEMENT ON THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

REF: COLOMBO 1943

1. (SBU) This message conveys Embassy's suggestions for a
statement by the Department Spokesman after the November 17
presidential election. Two versions are provided: one for
suggested use in the event of a generally free and fair
election and another for suggested use in the event of an
election that monitors deem was substantially flawed. Under
either scenario, the language will have to be fine tuned
according to how events transpire on election day. The texts
follow below.

2. (SBU) Begin suggested text in the event of free and fair
elections:

The United States congratulates ----- on his victory in the
November 17 presidential election and commends the citizens
of Sri Lanka on holding a successful free and fair
presidential election. That so many voters turned out to
cast their ballot testifies to the strength and vibrancy of
the democratic process in Sri Lanka. All Sri Lankans have an
equal and important stake in the outcome of presidential
polls, and statements by LTTE-affiliated organizations and
others claiming the contrary are both unfortunate and untrue.

Among the many significant and immediate challenges
confronting the new President will be the need to strengthen
the Ceasefire Agreement and bring renewed vigor to the peace
process to move towards a negotiated solution which will meet
the aspirations of all Sri Lankans. The United States looks
forward to exchanging views with the new President on these
important topics.

3. (SBU) As noted reftel, there is the possibility that, in
the event of a very narrow margin of victory for Sri Lanka
Freedom Party candidate Mahinda Rajapakse, EU head monitor
John Cushnahan may declare the election flawed because of a
Supreme Court decision requiring voters from LTTE-controlled
territory in the north and east to travel slightly farther to
polling stations and making those voters subject to temporary
police detention if their identity is questioned. If the
Election Commissioner does not share Cushnahan's assessment
(and we suspect he will not, since he is in charge of polling
facilities nationwide, including the north and east), the
result could be a "split" decision, with the national
Election Commission (and possibly local and other
international monitors) declaring voting to have been
generally free and fair and the EU monitors declaring the
contrary. In our view, an assessment that polling in the
north and east was flawed solely on the basis of the Supreme
Court decision omits another key (and likely more decisive)
factor: the role of the LTTE in intimidating/discouraging
voters. We will watch closely for any official statement by
EU monitors regarding the election and will advise the
Department accordingly. We suggest the following language in
the event that the EU--but not the national Election
Commission--declares the election flawed:

The United States congratulates ----- on his victory in the
November 17 presidential election and commends the millions
of Sri Lankans who exercised their right to vote on that day.
That so many citizens turned out to cast their ballot
testifies to the strength and vibrancy of the democratic
process in your country. All Sri Lankans have an equal and
important stake in the outcome of presidential polls, and we
regret that apparent LTTE influence, along with other
possible factors, depressed voter turnout in some areas of
the north and east.

Among the many significant and immediate challenges
confronting the new President will be the need to strengthen
the Ceasefire Agreement and bring renewed vigor to the peace
process to move towards a negotiated solution which will meet
the aspirations of all Sri Lankans. We look forward to
exchanging views with the new President on these important
topics.

End text.

LUNSTEAD

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