The Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva has garnered a “very positive response” from 39 countries after meetings on Friday, Minister of External Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris told the Daily Mirror.

“We met with 29 countries in the afternoon and 10 countries in the evening at a special event organised by the Lankan delegation in Geneva. These countries from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa gave us a very positive response for the good work we have accomplished in a very short period of time. They were very enthusiastic to hear of the work that we have done,” he said.

During these meetings the delegation led by Minister of Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe had stressed on two points. “We asked those gathered to pay close attention to the lapses in procedure at the UNHRC. There are very strict rules about what kind of material can be discussed and which stage material can be presented,” Prof. Peiris said.

The second matter addressed was the importance of waiting for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in October 2012, when Sri Lanka would come up for discussions. “Besides the UPR, Sri Lanka has engaged very constructively with the UNHRC and the international community with candour and this must be respected,” Peiris had stated at the meeting on Friday. (Dianne Silva)