SL holds over 90 meetings with Geneva based reps

27 January 2014 01:43 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 24 Bookmark

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Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, who will spearhead the Sri Lankan delegation to Geneva this time, to lobby against another planned resolution on Sri Lanka by the United States, during the March session of the UNHRC, had more than 90 meetings with the Geneva-based Permanent Representatives of member states last week.

Mr. Weeratunga is also in charge of the National Plan of Action for the Implementation of Recommendations by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee. Previously, Plantation Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe headed the Sri Lankan delegations.

Ahead of the UNHRC session, Mr. Weeratunga, accompanied by Monitoring MP of the External Affairs Ministry Sajin de Vaas Gunawardane, had more than 90 meetings with the Geneva-based Permanent Representatives of member states last week.

The planned resolution and the steps taken by the government to implement recommendations of the previous resolutions were the focal point of discussion at such meetings.

After that, the duo proceeded to Washington for engagement with the officials of the US State Department. It is learnt that the government considers it all the more important to remain engaged with the US on this matter.

Already, the External Affairs Ministry has set up a separate division at the Ministry to work on human rights issues. Mr. Gunawardane and Mr. Weeratunga have been assigned to oversee its activities ahead of the UNHRC session.(Kelum Bandara)