English.news.cn
2012-09-11 21:15:58
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COLOMBO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations review mission expected
in Sri Lanka later this week will only be a monitoring visit and does not
reflect a change in the government's stance, the external affairs minister said
here on Tuesday.
External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris refuted media reports that the
review mission that will be composed of representatives from India, Spain and
Benin were appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
following a U.S. backed resolution passed in March.
"The visit is a result of a government invitation which was made to
the UNHRC eleven months before the resolution was passed. The Universal
Periodic Review is done for all 192 UN member countries and Sri Lanka has in no
way been especially selected," he emphasized to reporters.
The review mission, which will arrive in Sri Lanka on Sept. 14, is
expected to review the reconciliation process initiated by the government as
well as the implementation of a key accountability report released by the
government last December.
"They (the mission) will not act as judges," Peiris stressed
adding that the Sri Lankan government would not allow external pressures to
affect the reconciliation process.
Following the review mission U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay is
expected to tour the country.
Relations between the two parties have been tense at times over Pillay's
criticism over Sri Lanka's human rights record.
Sri Lanka has also presented an extensive document to the UNHRC on the
country's post war progress that will be taken into consideration under the
resolution.
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Editor: znz
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