### Clue: State in favour of plan to assimilate Sri Lanka (8)
### Answer: PROCLAIM 
 ### Explanation: Definition: State
 [ PRO(in favour of, the counterpart of "con") + AIM(to plan;to intend to, as in "they aim to buy a car") ] **containing**(to assimilate) CL(the International Vehicle Registration code for Ceylon, now Sri Lanka).