WikiLeaks: Hard To Campaign For “Carnival Of Fools” – Anura B

Colombo Telegraph

By Colombo Telegraph -

“Sri Lankan Foreign Minister (and brother of President Kumaratunga) Anura Bandaranaike told the Ambassador he is contemptuous of SLFP Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse’s alliance with the Marxist JVP, will not campaign very hard on Rajapakse’s behalf and is not at all sure he would want to be Prime Minister in such a government-‘a carnival of fools’ the US Embassy Colombo informed Washionton.

“Turning to the substance of the campaign, Bandaranaike characterized the alliance of his Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) candidate, current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) as ‘disturbing’ and ‘totally contradictory to stated (SLFP) policy.’

“He fears religious freedom would suffer under a Rajapakse presidency. Bandaranaike said he looked forward to working with the U.S. on international issues given the shared democratic tradition between the two countries. In particular, he echoed U.S. concerns re Maldives and reiterated Sri Lankan support for Afghan SAARC membership. Engaging and intelligent despite his lightweight reputation, the new FM is clearly someone with whom we can work.” the Embassy further informed.

A leaked US “CONFIDENTIAL” diplomatic cable, recounts details of a meeting the US Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead has had with then Foreign Minister late Anura Bandaranaike on October 28, 2005. The Colombo Telegraph found the cable from WikiLeaks database. The cable was written on October 31, 2005 by the US Ambassador to Colombo Jeffrey J. Lunstead. Continue reading »