20 October 2014 09:48 am
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) today accused the government of failing to maintain an efficient Foreign Service and instead it was blaming the UNP for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) lifting the sanctions placed on the LTTE.
“The UPFA Government should take responsibility for the ban on LTTE finances being lifted by the ECJ. The government has failed to maintain an efficient Foreign Service and has not held state level talks to prevent this from happening. The Government is now going round in circles and attempting to cover up its failure by blaming the UNP,” UNP spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake told a news conference while commenting on the October 16 ECJ ruling on the LTTE which was listed as a terrorist organisation by the EU in 2006.
He said the Government was ignoring experienced diplomats who had fought LTTE terrorism internationally. “But instead had attacked and removed these talented diplomats,” he added.(Lahiru Pothmulla and Sanath Desmond)