The Government will give its response after an official statement is made on the UN Secretary General’s appointment of an experts panel to advise him on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, the External Affairs Ministry said yesterday – but a senior minister described the move as a plot with a hidden hand behind it.
“The government will respond only after the UN makes an official statement in this regard. As of now it is only a statement made to the media,” External Affairs Ministry Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe said.
Undersecretary General Lyn Pascoe, who is in charge of political affairs, was in the country on a two-day visit earlier this week and told the media on Thursday the UN chief was determined to go ahead with the appointment of a ‘panel of experts’ to advise him on the war crime probe despite the Sri Lanka government’s objections to such a move.
However, Media Minister and Government spokesperson Keheliya Rambukwella told The Sunday Times the appointment of an experts panel was uncalled for since President Mahinda Rajapaksa had already
appointed a commission to probe what happened in the final stages of the war.
“It is unfair on the part of the UN or any other international body to make such moves since we are a sovereign nation and have to be recognized and respected accordingly.
“Such action by sections of the international community only leads to suspicion that there may be a hidden agenda behind all these rumblings and the Tamil Diaspora cannot be ruled out,” Mr. Rambukwella said.
He said the presidential commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation should be given a chance to carry out its work and the international community should cooperate with Sri Lanka instead adopting a confrontational attitude.
“Sri Lanka’s position in this connection remains unchanged and the matter will be taken up at the appropriate time,” he said.
Meanwhile, UN Resident Representative Neil Buhne endorsed the position taken up by Mr. Pascoe saying it was the formal position of the UN in this regard.
“However the final decision will be taken by the UN chief once he is briefed by Mr. Pascoe sometime tomorrow,” he said. |
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