Washington was sure of 24

Minutes before statements, friendly and hostile alike, were made ahead of the vote on the draft resolution on Sri Lanka on March 22 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, a member of the US delegation told a local scribe flown to the Swiss city, courtesy Sri Lankan taxpayers, that the final result would be 2415 in favour of the resolution.

The prediction came during a conversation between the two at the main assembly hall while the crest-fallen-yet- optimistic Sri Lankan delegation members were hoping against hope for a close finish so that they could find solace even in defeat.

The Sri Lankan delegation members were seen talking to Permanent Representatives of countries that were on the fence just before the day's proceedings began while the US officials remained calm though they were seen discussing the matter in a hush-hush tone.

The US delegation was confi- dent the draft resolution would find its passage through the council. During the conversation with the US official, the Sri Lankan scribe wanted to know the strength of the US team that had come to Geneva to ensure that the draft resolution was adopted. He said they laughed at Sri Lankan media reports which claimed that some 50 to 100 US officials were in Geneva to lobby support for the motion. He said their strength was around 11 and admitted they also did intense lobbying like the Sri Lankans had been doing during the run-up to the vote.

The short conversation ended with the council's president, Laura Dupuy Lasserre, from Uruguay, a pro-us country, beginning the day's proceedings and inviting the United States, which sponsored the draft resolution, to make its statement. This was followed by statements from Belgium, as a cosponsor of the draft resolution, and Cuba, which opposed the resolution.

After Sri Lanka's response to these statements and a number of countries spoke in favour of and against the draft resolution, the chair called on the 47 members of the council to cast their votes. Within seconds, the result was on the two giant screens at the main assembly hall. She told them to double check whether they had pressed the right button before she announced the result: 24 for the resolution and 15 against while eight abstained.

The US official patted on the shoulder of the Sri Lankan scribe seated next to him and said: "Didn't I predict the results correct?"

In hindsight, it appeared that the US was in control of the events and was assured of the numbers. Even the countries that abstained during the voting did so apparently after intimating their decision to the United States.