The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed this morning that Attorney General Mohan Peiris and that External Affairs Ministry Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon despite denials by the government yesterday that any such meeting was to take place.

Secretary Jayasinghe and the Attorney General were in New York for “legal consultations”, Jayasinghe told the Daily Mirror through a senior External Affairs Ministry official.

“He (Jayasinghe) had taken this opportunity to call on the Secretary General along with Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona and Deputy Permanent Representative, former General, Shavendra Silva,” the official said.

Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera yesterday denied reports that such a meeting was to take place. Inner City press reports that when questioned on this denial in New York Kohona stated that “the deputy doesn't know anything, just ask him”.

Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peries and monitoring member of External Affairs Ministry Sajin Vass Gunawardena, yesterday, were unavailable for comment. Meanwhile the head of the UN Desk of the Ministry of External Affairs C. Wijeratne refused to comment on the alleged meeting.

The failure of Secretary Jayasinghe to appoint an acting Secretary to the Ministry, during his ten day absence from the country, resulted in a void to answer questions from the press. (DS) 
Pics by Inner City Press