Merits with regard to the resolution

24 February 2012 10:24 pm

Sri Lanka yesterday appealed the member countries of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take their respective stands on merits with regard to the resolution to be moved against the country by the United States next month.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told journalists here in Geneva that the government’s delegation led by him had bilateral engagements with 25 foreign delegations including those from the Non Aligned Movement and the organisation of Islamic countries.

The Minister said that the countries should not consider their alignments with different world groupings when taking decisions as otherwise it would be a negation of values underpinning the UNHRC.

“We want them to assess the situation here on merits without considering their alignments.  Reasoning and logic must prevail behind their decisions, but not clouts,” he said.

He said that certain countries having reservations about the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka, had taken different stands due to their groupings with certain power blocs.
 
The Sri Lankan delegation also met the President of the UN Human Rights Commission, Laura Dupuy Lasserre on Thursday. (Kelum Bandara reporting from Geneva)