Cablegate: Maldives: Letter to Secretary From Foreign

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

230750Z May 05

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000935

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES: LETTER TO SECRETARY FROM FOREIGN
MINISTER

1. On May 20 the Embassy received by fax a diplomatic note
from the Government of Republic of Maldives conveying the
text of a letter from Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel to the
Secretary. The text of the note follows below:

SIPDIS

2. Begin text:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States
of America for the Republic of Maldives and has the honor to
quote below a message from Honorable Fathulla Jameel,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, to
Her Excellency Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State of the
United States of America.

Quote:

Excellency,

It was with deep concern that the Government of Maldives
heard news reports last week that interrogators at Guantanamo
Bay had desecrated the Holy Quran.

However, we were pleased that the Government of the United
States had taken a very positive stance on the matter. Your
own statement before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs on 12 May
2005, and that of State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher
on 11 May 2005 at the daily press briefing re-affirmed the US
Government's uncompromising belief in religious tolerance and
its commitment to upholding the rights of individuals to
worship freely and without harassment.

We do appreciate your assurance that the matter would be
investigated at the appropriate levels and that anyone found
responsible for the act would be made accountable.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurance of my highest
consideration.

Unquote.

End text.
LUNSTEAD

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