News

Lanka to scale down some EU embassies

27 Mar, 2012

The government has decided to scale down operations of some of its embassies in Europe, the External Affairs Ministry said.

The government is of the view that embassies in Europe which are not serving any purpose in obtaining support for Sri Lanka?s national issues will be scaled down and new embassies will be opened in Asia and Africa.

However the move was not as a result of several European countries deciding to vote against Sri Lanka when a resolution was presented at the recently concluded UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.

External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris had said yesterday that with almost all the Asian countries, excluding India, voting in favor of Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, it was felt that strengthening ties in Asia will be helpful for Sri Lanka in the future.

The European Union voted in support of the U.S sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council last week which called on Sri Lanka to fully implement the recommendations of a local accountability commission.

Sri Lanka has however refused to fully implement the recommendations despite the resolution being adopted by a majority vote. ?(Colombo Gazette)

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