Sri Lanka will continue to oppose draft resolution 51/1 of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and has not agreed to any resolution that extends the powers of the external evidence collection mechanism, according to Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Vijitha Herath.
The decision was made after considering submissions by the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding the 57th session of the UNHRC, currently underway in Geneva, Minister Herath said addressing the weekly Cabinet media briefing.
The Cabinet of Ministers has endorsed Sri Lanka’s position to reject the draft resolution at the current session of the UNHRC, he said.
However, he stressed that Sri Lanka remains committed to addressing key human rights issues, including reconciliation, through local mechanisms.
“Sri Lanka will continue to engage in cooperative and meaningful discussions with the Human Rights Council and its regular human rights mechanisms,” Minister Herath said.
Commenting on the current political climate, he added, “There is a newly elected president, and a new government will be formed after the elections. Many of the elements in this proposal are already reflected in the new government’s policies. We will convey our stance to the UNHRC in Geneva.”
“However, we cannot agree to several aspects of this proposal. The new government will take measures to safeguard human rights, but this will require some time. This position will be communicated to the UNHRC during the final session tomorrow,” he added. (Newswire)
