EU to raise concerns with Sri Lanka

• Joint Commission talks ahead of Geneva session
• Human rights concerns to be raised in virtual meeting

By Easwaran Rutnam 

The European Union (EU) is to raise concerns with Sri Lanka on human rights and other matters at a joint commission meeting later this month.  

EU sources told Daily Mirror the EU-Sri Lanka joint commission meeting will take place virtually as a result of the coronavirus. 
The EU office in Sri Lanka had tweeted earlier that the EU was saddened by the destruction of the monument at the Jaffna University. 

“In view of this and other recent developments, the EU is ready to step up its engagement with Sri Lanka, including through an upcoming high-level meeting, to support inclusiveness, reconciliation and fair treatment of minorities,” the EU had tweeted. 

EU sources said the meeting is scheduled to be held at the end of this month with the participation of top officials from both sides. 
The meeting takes place ahead of the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva which begins in February. 

The EU and others are expected to back calls for a fresh resolution against Sri Lanka over its failure to meet its two-year commitment in a previous resolution.  The current Government has already said that it has withdrawn from the resolution.   

• The EU office in Sri Lanka had tweeted earlier that the EU was saddened by the destruction of the monument at the Jaffna University