Internationalising SL issue inimical to reconciliation – UK MPs

March 27, 2014

UK union FlagA group of British MPs has urged Prime Minister Cameron not to back the US-led resolution against Sri Lanka at the ongoing sessions of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Geneva based sources have told The Island news that the group of MPs opposing Cameron’s move, in their letter to the British Premier, had recalled the circumstances under which the then government of Sri Lanka backed the British decision to dispatch a naval task force to regain the Falklands Island seized by Argentina in early April, 1982. Argentina surrendered on June 14, 1982.

The MPs representing Democratic Unionist Party as well as the ruling Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, have, in a recent missive to Premier Cameron, expressed serious concern over what they call a bid to internationalise the Sri Lankan conflict.

Premier Cameron has been warned that his strategy would be inimical to the post-war reconciliation process in Sri Lanka and, therefore, the UK shouldn’t support the resolution expected to be taken up for voting on Thursday (March 27).

The UK represents the Western group in the 47-member UNHRC. Conservative party leader Cameron recently declared that the entire Western group would vote for the resolution. The seven-member Western group includes six EU countries, namely the UK and Northern Ireland (taken as one), Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland. The US is also grouped with the EU.

Premier Cameron has been also reminded that the UK always opposed internationalisation of the Northern Ireland problem though it had taken a different position on Sri Lanka.

Further The Island news revealed that, dissenting group of MPs has asserted that Sri Lanka should be given time and space to tackle issues and given the encouragement to pursue national reconciliation without being targeted by the UN.

The Editor

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