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Lanka protests over Annan remarks
From Thalif Deen at the United Nations
Sri Lanka has expressed serious concern over what it sees as an ill-conceived statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his quick condemnation of the assassination of the LTTE's eastern leader E. Kaushalyan. The government's concern was personally conveyed to UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Danilo Turk, by Sri Lanka's UN envoy Bernard Goonetilleke.

"The timing and contents of the statement were inappropriate and not helpful to the ongoing peace process," Mr. Goonetilleke told Mr. Turk, at a meeting with the Assistant Secretary-General in his Secretariat office.

Mr. Annan's statement was considered ''unusual'' because he rarely, if ever, condemns the killings of rebel leaders, and certainly not members of a designated "terrorist organisation". At the same time, Mr. Annan has not reacted as quickly -- or reacted at all -- to the killings of several other political leaders in Sri Lanka over the past few years.

In most instances, these statements originate in the UN's Department of Political Affairs, unbeknown to the Secretary-General, although he takes responsibility for its contents.

Mr. Turk, who initiated the meeting with Mr. Goonetilleke, was particularly keen on denying news reports that Mr. Annan's statement had been inspired by the UN office in Colombo which was picketed by demonstrators last week.

He expressed regrets if any misunderstanding had been caused. But in Colombo, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar told The Sunday Times: "It is of little concern to me whether the message in question originated from Colombo or New York. That is a matter between the UN in New York and the UN in Colombo. My concern is to ensure at all times that Sri Lanka as a member state is treated with respect."

However, a knowledgeable UN source insisted that it was "highly unusual" for the Department of Political Affairs to take the initiative without significant input from the UN office in Colombo.

Mr. Annan's statement -- which described Mr. Kaushalyan as "a senior political leader of the LTTE" -- urged all parties "to exercise calm and restraint so as to avoid actions that could disrupt the ceasefire agreement of February 2002 or the long-term interest of peace in Sri Lanka."

Meanwhile, the UN has denied Indian news reports last week that Mr. Annan plans to appoint a special envoy to oversee the peace process in Sri Lanka -- as he has done in other political trouble spots such as Liberia, Sudan and Sierra Leone. Asked if this is a possibility, a UN spokesman said no.

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