VZCZCXRO6842
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHLM #0919 2721110
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291110Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0575
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1918
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8954
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7192
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5142
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3332
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5098
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1375
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0633
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4208
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9519
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6820
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 1304
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3749
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000919
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB; PASS TO ISN/RA RICHARD NEPHEW
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA SUPPORTS HOLDING IRAN TO INTERNATIONAL
OBLIGATIONS
REF: SECSTATE 100153
1. (SBU) On September 28, PolOff discussed reftel points on
existence of a covert uranium enrichment facility in Iran
with Sri Lankan MFA U.N. and Multilateral Affairs Director
General (DG) Aruni Wijewardene. Wijewardene had prior
knowledge of the issue and expressed GSL support for holding
Iran accountable on its international obligations and
non-committal to full transparency of its nuclear program.
She reiterated that Sri Lanka would not pursue this at a
bi-lateral level, which needed to be addressed in the IAEA
framework. Given Sri Lanka's developing relationship with
Iran, PolOff pushed Wijewardene on engaging Iran on their
nuclear program. DG shied from this and noted that Iran-Sri
Lanka ties were purely on "economic issues." DG highlighted
that Sri Lanka's Prime Minister presented strong views on
non-proliferation at the on-going UNGA.
2. (SBU) Wijewardene also noted that the in his UNGA speech,
PM echoed President Obama's UNGA remarks on "four pillars"
for the future and on Palestinian rights. Wijewardene took
this opportunity to address Sri Lanka's concerns with
maritime security and non-proliferation of WMD. She proposed
another U.S. and Sri Lanka co-hosted event to build on a
UNSCR 1540 conference held in June 2009. Post will forward
Wijewardene's proposal on a future event on non-proliferation
when she makes it available.
BUTENIS