Sujatha Singh_ Indian Foreign Secretary

India’s decision to abstain from voting on the U.S.-sponsored resolution on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka at the UNHRC was taken at the “political” level for the welfare of the Tamils in that country, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.

“Any decision relating to foreign policy is a political decision, is it not? And no official will take a decision without taking a political sign off,” Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh said.

Singh was replying to a question about Finance Minister’s remarks last week that the decision of abstention could have been taken by officials in the External Affairs Ministry.

Expressing unhappiness, Chidambaram had further said, .

“Twenty three countries had supported it and we also should have supported even if it was a watered down one.”

The Foreign Secretary said India abstained from voting on the resolution as it was “extremely intrusive” and that New Delhi has always been against any country-specific resolution in UNHRC.

The resolution, sought an international inquiry into alleged war crimes in the last stages of conflict with the LTTE in 2009. (PTI)

Courtesy: The Hindu