Buhne to meet G.L

19 July 2010 03:30 pm

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sri Lanka Neil Buhne who is scheduled to return to Sri Lanka later tonight following consultations with UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon, has sought a meeting with External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris.

According to External Affairs Ministry sources the meeting between Buhne and Minister G.L Peiris is most likely to take place tomorrow during which Buhne is expected to hand over a message to the Sri Lankan government from the UN Chief.

Buhne is expected to convey the Secretary-General’s strong expectations for a better treatment of the UN family in Sri Lanka, as well as for progress on the range of commitments covered in the joint statement of May 2009 including resettlement of internally displaced persons, political reconciliation and accountability. 

The UN official was returning to Sri Lanka after being recalled two weeks ago following a protest outside the UN Colombo office by Minister Wimal Weerawansa against the UN panel appointed on Sri Lanka.

A UN spokesman said last week that the changing circumstances in the country, which had allowed UN staff to return to work without the hindrance that they had faced earlier, resulted in the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator returning to Sri Lanka after being recalled. (ER) (Daily Mirror online)