LANKA EXPECTS ALL C’WEALTH COUNTRIES TO ATTEND CHOGM
We have heard various media reports that some countries will not attend. However there has been no official communication from any country
The Sri Lankan government is expecting all Commonwealth countries, including Canada, to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November this year, despite calls by Human Rights Watch for countries to boycott the event.
“We expect that all Commonwealth countries will attend the meeting in November, including Canada. We have heard various media reports that some countries will not attend. However there has been no official communication from any country and therefore we expect that all Commonwealth countries will be here,” External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama told the Daily Mirror.
Human Rights Watch yesterday called on the Commonwealth to shift the venue of the meeting to be held in Colombo, unless the government makes “prompt, measurable, and meaningful progress on human rights”. Mr. Amunugama dismissed the remarks and the open letter to the Commonwealth Heads of Government by Human Rights Watch. “Human Rights Watch never has anything constructive to say about Sri Lanka and we will not dance to their tune,” he said.
During the meeting Prof. Peries had objected to the inclusion of Sri Lanka in the agenda for the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting in London this April.