Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07COLOMBO660, SRI LANKA: COLOMBO AIRPORT TO SUSPEND NIGHT OPERATIONS IN

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07COLOMBO660.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07COLOMBO660 2007-05-04 11:40 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Colombo
VZCZCXRO5576
OO RUEHBI RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #0660/01 1241140
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041140Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5982
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0930
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0079
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 7060
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 5147
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3178
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 5689
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3721
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 3793
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2874
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 2189
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 7646
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5328
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0379
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000660 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS AND EEB/TRA/OTP 
MCC FOR F REID, D NASSIRY AND E BURKE 
BANGKOK AND SINGAPORE FOR TSA AND FAA 
 
E.O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON EINV ETRD PTER CE
 
SUBJECT:  SRI LANKA: COLOMBO AIRPORT TO SUSPEND NIGHT OPERATIONS IN 
RESPONSE TO LTTE AIR ATTACKS 
 
REF: A) COLOMBO 636  B) COLOMBO 630 
C) COLOMBO 475  D) COLOMBO 637 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport 
(BIA) will suspend nighttime operations following a series of air 
attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), including 
two in Colombo.  Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa made the 
decision, seeking to reduce the possibility that travelers or 
airplanes would be harmed in any future LTTE air attacks. 
International airlines servicing Colombo pressed for the closure as 
a safety precaution.  As BIA is Sri Lanka's only international 
airport, this move will have a negative impact on the tourism 
industry.  The effort to reduce the risk that travelers will be hurt 
or seriously inconvenienced by LTTE attacks is a prudent, if 
painful, measure.  End summary. 
 
MAIN AIRPORT TO CLOSE AT NIGHT FOR THREE MONTHS 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
2.  (U) On May 3, Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport 
(BIA) announced it would suspend night operations, effective May 10. 
 The airport will close between 2230 and 0430 hours each night for 
the next three months.  Any further extension, according to the 
Civil Aviation Authority, would depend on the security situation. 
This decision follows a series of air attacks by the Liberation 
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).  On March 26, the LTTE conducted an 
aerial attack on the Sri Lanka Air Force's Katunayake Base, with 
which the BIA shares a runway.  On April 26, anti-aircraft guns were 
fired from Katunayake Base in response to a possible attack (which 
did not materialize) that caused the airport to close briefly, and 
on April 29, the LTTE targeted oil storage facilities outside 
Colombo (refs A, B, and C). 
 
DEFENSE SECRETARY MAKES THE CALL 
-------------------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU) Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources told 
Emboffs that Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa made the 
decision, with the concurrence of President Rajapaksa, to close the 
airport at night.  The government believed the step was necessary to 
avert danger to air travelers caused by LTTE air attacks or military 
defensive fire.  According to the CAA, the decision was also 
intended to minimize public inconvenience due to disruption of 
flights.  (Note: The three times the airport was forced to close 
down in March and April, it diverted many incoming flights to India, 
while flights on the ground were heavily delayed.)  The CAA gave 
international airlines a week to reschedule their Sri Lanka flights 
to comply with the closure. 
 
AUTHORITIES THINK AIRPORT IS SAFE; AIRLINES DISAGREE 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
4.  (SBU) Following the April 29 LTTE air attack, airline 
representatives and airport authorities convened the next day to 
discuss airport security.  An airline station manager told Econoff 
that the Cathay Pacific country director spearheaded the night 
closure proposal, which the other airlines unanimously supported. 
The airport authorities, however, were reluctant to disrupt 
operations, arguing that the airport remained safe.  Apparently, the 
Defense Minister shared the airlines' view.  Cathay Pacific Airways 
has again indefinitely ceased flights to Sri Lanka.  Emirates 
Airlines briefly suspended all flights after the April 29 attack, 
but now plans to resume daytime flights.  Other airlines have not 
yet announced their plans. 
 
 
COLOMBO 00000660  002 OF 002 
 
 
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TOURISM INDUSTRY 
----------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) The managing director of a leading Sri Lankan tourism 
company told Econoff that airport authorities notified the Sri Lanka 
Tourist Board that they were considering cessation of night 
operations.  The board opposed the move, but was not directly 
involved in the discussions between the airlines and airport.  The 
director feared the move would have a major, negative impact on the 
already-declining tourist industry (ref D). 
 
COMMENT: AIRPORT CLOSURE PAINFUL BUT PRUDENT 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) The government has made a painful but prudent decision. 
It cannot like having such a decision forced on it by the LTTE, but 
the downsides were even worse.  An LTTE bomb could have hit an 
airliner on the ground; an LTTE plane could have collided with a 
passenger plane in flight; or worst of all, government anti-aircraft 
fire could have hit a civilian plane in the air.  Any of these could 
have produced great loss of life and property.  The airport decision 
means the government's losses are mainly in air travel-related 
revenue and pride. 
MOORE