WikiLeaks: Ranil’s Proposal To Chandrika Has A Poison Pill – US

December 31, 2013 |

“As the meeting concluded, Milinda said that the PM was glad to hear our views, that he heard a lot of views, including Milinda’s own, as well as those of other Ministers. In the end, however, only the PM could make the decision. It was his government and his political future. The Ambassador replied that we understood completely that it was his country, his issue, and needed his solution. Moragoda asked that the Ambassador convey to Assistant Secretary Rocca that her comments to Ambassador Subasinghe had been heard.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Ranil

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The classified diplomatic cable details a meeting the US ambassador had with then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The “Confidential” is cable signed by the US Ambassador to Colombo Jeffrey J. Lunstead on January 12, 2004.

Placing a comment the ambassador wrote; “Unless there is some sudden and unexpected breakthrough on the Defense side, it appears almost certain that we are set for a period of drift at least until the provincial elections are concluded. The PM’s proposal for power-sharing at the provincial level is quite vague. It also has a poison pill attached in the requirement that the SLFP give up its proposed alliance with the JVP. All that said, we remain convinced that the two sides could bridge the gap on defense and come to an earlier understanding — if they can summon the will to do so. Indian High Commissioner Sen, whom the Ambassador saw the evening previous, was quite pessimistic, although that may be because he is wedded to his theater concept.”

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