Mammoth delegation,...

do", by saying it is difficult to arrange any programme with Colombo not wanting too many 'outside' (of UN) engagements for the President.

So came the Twitter exercise to play. According to the programme, the President was having a breakfast meeting that was to finish at 9.15 a.m .NY time (SL time 6.45 p.m.). The Twitter session was to start at 6.30 p.m. SL time. Thereafter, the President had to attend a UN meeting on MDGs (Millenium Development Goals) for an hour or so. This explains the delay which was also to 'get prepared.' Then he had to end the Twitter (9.15 p.m. SL time) because there was a meeting scheduled well in advance with the Pakistan Prime Minister (at noon NY time, SL time 9.30 p.m.).

The higher ups in the delegation were not happy with this session as they felt once the President had addressed the UNGA, it must remain there without getting engaged in answering questions on it. But the session went ahead (at a time the higherups were at bi-lateral meetings). Only an interview with Al-Jazeera was ar- ranged hastily to cover lost ground.

According to delegation sources, the President was not too pleased with the Twitter session. He remarked, "mokadda me. Meka karanna thibbe colomba thawa kattiyak ekke ne -- what is this? This should have been done in Colombo with some others (officials).”

The President's speech slotted on day 1 of the UN sessions has its ups and downs. While Sri Lanka has been somewhat lucky to get a slot traditionally on the opening day of the UNGA sessions, its downside is that the Sri Lankan President speaks after the US President has addressed the assembly. That takes the shine away from the Sri Lankan President's address. This year, additionally, the President missed the opportunity to rebut the remarks made in Geneva by the UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay on Sri Lanka.

The entire MEA high command, from the Minister to the officials handling UN affairs, was in New York with the President and none had been assigned to Geneva where the UN Human Rights Council was in session.

These senior MEA officials are pressing the point that UN affairs in Geneva must be managed from New York and calling for strong representation at the New York mission. "New York is key to safeguarding Sri Lanka's interests", is what they say. Some of them are lobbying for the job as well as the incumbent head of mission Palitha Kohona is earmarked, as of now, to be moved to Washington DC.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris was able to secure a meeting only with US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake while his counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry met several other Foreign Ministers and so did Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns. The others Mr. Blake, the former Ambassador to Sri Lanka, met were the Foreign Ministers of Bhutan and Uzbekistan and the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh.