VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLM #0369 0901157
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311157Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9712
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 8498
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1406
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2859
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0012
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1053
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000369 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO PK AF CE
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN STRATEGY: SRI LANKA OFFERS 
POSSIBLE TRAINING ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: STATE 29482 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Ambassador briefed Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona 
on the conclusions of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Strategic 
Review on March 31.  Kohona expressed appreciation for the 
detailed readout.  With respect to how Sri Lanka might help, 
Kohona offered two thoughts.  First, he noted that 
Afghanistan already had asked whether Sri Lanka might send 
education and health professionals to help train and build 
Afghan capacity in these areas.  Sri Lanka has achieved some 
of the South Asian region's highest indicators in education 
and health.  He also pointed out that Sri Lanka made a 
priority of rebuilding schools and hospitals after the LTTE 
was expelled by the military from eastern Sri Lanka.  Kohona 
said Sri Lanka has signaled its readiness to help, but 
neither Afghanistan nor Sri Lanka have funding.  If the US or 
other donors have funding, Sri Lanka would be ready to help. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Recalling that President Rajapaksa had earlier 
indicated that Sri Lanka might be prepared to provide troops 
or trainers to Afghanistan as military operations against the 
LTTE wind down, Ambassador asked if the GSL was ready toQnsider providing forces in Afghanistan.  Kohona said he 
thought Sri Lanka would be prepared to provide small numbers 
(e.g. 10-20 people) of military trainers to help build Afghan 
army capacity, if that would be useful.  He pointed out that 
the Sri Lankan Army has 25 years of experience fighting the 
LTTE and countering the LTTE's constantly changing terrorist 
and insurgency tactics.  Such experience might well be useful 
in Afghanistan.  Recalling that Sri Lanka already has a 
peacekeeping battalion serving in the UN peacekeeping 
operation in Haiti, he speculated that Sri Lanka would likely 
be prepared to send more significant military forces in about 
one year, as operations against the LTTE continue to 
diminish. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Embassy would be pleased to pursue either of these 
options if Department judges they could be useful.  Please 
advise. 
BLAKE