3 February 2021 11:38 pm
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardane said he started engagements with the foreign envoys in Colombo as part of lobbying their support for Sri Lanka at the session of the UNHRC while briefing them about the Government’s position.
Minister Gunawardane told Daily Mirror Sri Lanka would lobby for the support of like-minded countries ahead of the UNHRC session scheduled for between February 22 and March 18, this year.
He said he met with U.S. ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz on Tuesday.
“I briefed her about Sri Lanka’s position,” he said.
The core group of countries – the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Montenegro and Macedonia - has already sought to submit a consensual resolution calling for a probe into wartime allegations of human rights and accountability issues.
However, Sri Lanka is yet to see the draft of the resolution to come out with its decision on the request for a consensual resolution.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is expected to submit her report on the progress of implementation of the resolution 30/1 adopted in 2015 and two subsequent roll-over resolutions. Sri Lanka co-sponsored the resolution under the previous Yahapalana government. However, the present Government withdrew from co-sponsorship in March, last year and pledged to deal with the issues outlined through a domestic mechanism.(Kelum Bandara)