We want to engage with all our friends: Samarasinghe

12 September 2011 09:23 am

Speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Sessions in Geneva Head of Delegation for Sri Lanka Mahinda Samarasinghe called on the international community to halt repetition of “unjustified” allegations.
 
“Unjustified repetition of some blatant propaganda by persons or groups with an agenda inimical to that of the new Sri Lanka we are engaged in creating, we will assail with all the energy at our disposal,” he said speaking at the sessions a short while ago.

He further defended Sri Lanka’s efforts to counter such propaganda. “Any fair minded person will acknowledge that we reported incremental improvements over time and demonstrated our willingness to engage with all our friends in a spirit of openness and mutual self-respect. All we requested in return was even-handed assessment and the opportunity to prove our bona fides,” he said.

Samarasinghe also stated that Sri Lanka has taken an approach of engagement toward the international community. “Our approach is predicated upon the principle of constructive engagement and has never been timorous or diffident. We have been forthright and candid in our exchanges and have never adopted an evasive or equivocal approach,” he said.  (Dianne Silva)