Our duty is to invite for CHOGM: Keheliya

Tuesday, 12 November 2013 01:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Government of Sri Lanka has a duty to invite all heads of government of the Commonwealth for CHOGM 2013 but the decision on whether to attend must be made by the individual countries, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

The Minister was responding to questions posed by media personnel at the CHOGM Media Centre at the BMICH about the decision of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to skip the summit in Colombo. “A letter has been sent to the President outlining his reasons for not attending, it is a brief letter,” Minister Rambukwella said, referring to the Indian Premier. Sri Lanka had invited all 54 countries of the Commonwealth, he explained. “We are quite happy at the number of confirmations we have already received about attendance at the Summit,” the Minister said. Thirty seven heads of state have confirmed attendance at CHOGM that will take place later this week. Bowing to pressure on the domestic front with strong opposition to his attendance by Tamil Nadu politicians, the Indian Prime Minister decided on the weekend to skip the summit in Colombo. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will also boycott the summit citing Sri Lanka’s poor rights record. (DB)