EU not under any influence

28 June 2010 04:07 pm - 13 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Gandhya Senanayake

The decisions taken on Sri Lanka by the European Union (EU) are not influenced by anyone nor is the 27 member block influencing any party in the country, the European Commission head of delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Ambassador Bernard Savage told Daily Mirror online.

Ambassador Savage said this in response to a question posed by Daily Mirror online regarding comments made by the government, that the conditions put forward by the EU last week in order for Sri Lanka to obtain the GSP plus trade concessions are similar to conditions raised by the opposition to the government.

Meanwhile an EU spokesman in Brussels told Daily Mirror online it was wrong for the government to claim that the EU is politically motivated. President Mahinda Rajapakse had told the Times of India that the withdrawal of the GSP was politically motivated.

"To be very clear, to suggest that any decision by the EU is politically motivated and to link it to the elections of this year is entirely false. The government of Sri Lanka is very well aware that this is a legal process that began several years ago and to suggest otherwise is simply misleading." John Clancy, EU Trade Spokesman told Daily Mirror online.

Sri Lanka stands to lose the GSP plus facility in August unless it gives a written commitment to the EU by this Thursday to meet the conditions put forward by the EU in a letter to the government last week. The government has so far rejected the conditions and said it will also not formally respond to the EU letter. (Daily Mirror online)

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Comments - 13

Ryan Tuesday, 29 June 2010 02:43 AM

This guy is under direct influence of UNP-LTTE coalition and directly funded by UNP-LTTE. Ranil is a close friend of this man and he is doing what ranil is asking him to do.

B.B. Marasingha Tuesday, 29 June 2010 03:26 AM

Everything here are politically motivated so the Govt. see this under the same spot light.

Ind Tuesday, 29 June 2010 03:54 AM

We don't want your explanations !!!!! You all are simply LTTE sympathisers. That's all.

Wasantha Tuesday, 29 June 2010 04:20 AM

It is not important whether EU is under the influenze or not. Our concern is whether the said conditions are just 7& equatable or not.

Murshid Idroos Tuesday, 29 June 2010 04:23 AM

Your excellency i regret to tell u indeed the EU decision is politically motivated towards the pro LTTE diaspora

Jix Tuesday, 29 June 2010 04:41 AM

There are indeed legitimate concerns on EU’s part regarding domestic matters, however hypocritical that exercise in itself is. The Government has made some progress even though it might be seen to be inadequate for the EU. The conditions to be met as stated on EU’s letter at present is nothing short of unreasonable while the way the government has handled the situation has been thoroughly unprofessional.

malkanthi Tuesday, 29 June 2010 04:43 AM

Well said B.B. what goes around comes around!

citizen-crazy lanka Tuesday, 29 June 2010 04:53 AM

so we are not going to beg from you. we will beg from other places

Mindful Tuesday, 29 June 2010 05:20 AM

if not politically motivated why do they talk about SL constitution and so on ?

Ananda S Tuesday, 29 June 2010 05:32 AM

How arrogant and stupid, EU to put forward conditions which are 100% country's internal issues for their stupid GPS plus benefits? The goverment is doing the right thing.

### Tuesday, 29 June 2010 06:45 AM

why should we beg? ask yourself do we need to beg from them anymore or are we going to stand on our feet. UNP is the main begger for sri lanka and they created this whole begging show to us. WELL LET US GET OUT FROM THIS BEGGING MESS ATLEAST NOW..?

ajith Tuesday, 29 June 2010 07:03 AM

Dear Ambassador,we are not babies.
We know that none of the 27 member countries are the least bothered about Srilanka.This is been pushed by the Tamil diaspora.
Surely some of you guys are in their payroll!!!

Gabba Tuesday, 29 June 2010 07:59 AM

UN is Puppet Backed By US ..

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EU not under any influence

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