August
25, 2012
India has again explained the reason why it
voted against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva in
March.According to the Indian media, Preneet Kaur, the Indian Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs had been asked at the Lok Sabha yesterday about the vote on Sri Lanka.
In a written reply Kaur said: “India voted in favour of the resolution ‘Promotion, Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Geneva on 22 March 2012.
The vote was in line with the Government’s consistent stand to advance the objective, namely, the achievement of a future for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that is marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect.”
She said India enjoys close, cordial and friendly relations with neighbouring Sri Lanka with whom it shares historic, civilisational and cultural links.
“Today, India is Sri Lanka’s largest trade partner overall and Sri Lanka is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia. India has emerged as the largest foreign direct investor in Sri Lanka. India also contributes to the largest number of tourists arrivals in Sri Lanka,” Kaur said.
“The close relationship has been further strengthened by high level visits, including those of the Minister of External Affairs in January 2012; Joint Parliamentary Delegation in April 2012; Minister of Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation in July 2012; Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles in August 2012; and Minister of Culture in August 2012,” she said.
