Internal and external support against UN report: Govt

Friday, 29 April 2011 02:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Plans to drum up support from friendly countries and political parties against UN report; says response document has been completed; briefs diplomatic community in Colombo

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Attempting to drum up support against the controversial Darusman report the government has compiled a response and plans to conduct extensive discussions with internal and external stakeholders.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the weekly Cabinet media briefing that the report responding to the UN document has already been completed and will be sent presently. In addition the government is also strengthening its support base by sending deputies to friendly countries to drum up more support against the UN report.

On Thursday External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris briefed the Colombo based diplomatic community and discussed in detail the basis of the government’s response to it. The contingent of foreign diplomats included heavyweights such as China and India that participated in the discussions that spanned over one and a half hours, according to reports.

Local political parties will also be whetted for support with the Media Minister admitting that so far the government had no complaints about the way the UNP has reacted to the UN report. However he insisted that the government will keep a close eye on the report that Deshamanya Bradman Weerakoon is compiling since he was involved in the previous Ceasefire Agreement signed with the LTTE.

“We are disappointed with the reaction of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA),” he stressed but said that the government would continue its discussions with the political party. “We are looking for a consensus with all political parties from all ethnic backgrounds against this report. The government has always been against this report and we will pursue all means to get our objections across,” added Prof. Peiris.