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‘UK will not bathe SL in golden light’

03 Nov 2013 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

While claiming that UK's presence at the CHOGM in Sri Lanka was not intended to bathe the Sri Lankan government in a golden light, Britain said: “The UK will make the point that the meeting is about the Commonwealth and not just Sri Lanka.”

"We will raise our concerns such as disappearances and other unacceptable things taking place in Sri Lanka," Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire said.

He underlined that the UK government saw the meeting as an opportunity for Commonwealth leaders to meet and discuss developments which affected all member countries, media reports said.

Sri Lanka would be aware that the world's eyes would be on it and would want to cast itself in a good light, he said.

He said the UK delegation would be led by Prime Minister David Cameron. The British government was going to Sri Lanka to support Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales who would be representing the Queen, he said.

Britain wished to discuss issues such as development in the post-2015 era, he said, adding that other topics would be raised on the margins of the summit, including worries about the disputed presidential election in the Maldives and Gambia's decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth.

He said the British Prime Minister will travel to the Tamil-dominated North during his visit. This would make him the first foreign head of government to visit the region since the bitter ethnic war ended in 2009.

Britain would discuss progress which had been made such as the elections in the North and in mine-clearing, but would also highlight concerns about disappearances and the suppression of media freedom and human rights.

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‘UK will not bathe SL in golden light’

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