Western diplomats shun meeting Lanka minister

20

Heads of missions had turned up for meeting

colombo — Eight Western countries stayed away from a meeting Sri Lanka’s government on Monday to register their protest against President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to dissolve parliament, diplomatic and government sources said.

Sri Lanka has been in political turmoil since Sirisena fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last month and appointed a proChina former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his place.

Western countries led by the United States and the European Union had been urging Sirisena to convene parliament and let the legislature determine who should be prime minister.

Foreign Minister Sarath Amunugama called the heads of 43 foreign missions for a meeting on the political situation on Monday but only a handful turned up, the sources said.

The ambassadors of Britain, Netherlands, Norway, France, Australia, South Africa, Italy, and Canada did not attend the meeting while EU, the US, and Germany sent representatives.

India, Sir Lanka’s nearest neighbour, sent a junior representative.

Western governments are especially concerned that the return to power of wartime nationalist strongman Rajapaksa could endanger halting steps toward national reconciliation.

The government defeated separatist guerrillas in 2009.

Diplomatic and government sources said at least 20 heads of missions turned up for the meeting including those of China, Cuba, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Pakistan. —