Defence Attaché in Moscow: Dayan gives his version`

It was like a 1000 kilogramme GP (general purpose) bomb dropped on a target by a Sri Lanka Air Force aircraft during the separatist war.

Our report last week about the country’s Defence Attache being recalled to Colombo, like the ferocity of the bomb, echoed both in Colombo and Moscow. The collateral damage fell even on the business sector which is raking in profits from million dollar deals with Moscow causing discomfort and anger.

First to a letter sent to the Sunday Times and MTV and posted on his Facebook page by Dayan Jayatilleke, Sri Lanka’s new Ambassador to Russia. References made to other matters not relevant to the subject in question have been deleted.

“Your newspaper published a story last Sunday about the Sri Lanka embassy in Moscow and actions purportedly taken by the Head of Mission with regard to its Defence Attaché. The story is factually inaccurate.

“The headline of the newspaper story "Defence Attaché recalled from Moscow after Dayan's protest" is false. I made no such "protest", still less "an official complaint". Furthermore at no time did I "send in a report to the Foreign Ministry" nor tell anyone that I "could not be the head of only one part of the Embassy".

“I have made no official complaint about any staffer and have sent nothing in writing to either the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Defence which is anything remotely like a protest, complaint or criticism about any staffer.

“While I did make certain minor critical observations about a staffer in good humour, in agreement with his superior officer at an informal dinner --observations about minor infringements that I had already made to the staffer in question -these have been taken out of context and embellished or spun, which is unfair both to me as Head of Mission as well as to a staffer who is extremely competent in the discharge of his professional duties. In the interests of balance and fairplay the newspaper should have checked the story with me, which it did not………. I would be grateful if your newspaper were to publish my refutation of your story of last Sunday.”

Jamis Banda adds: As is clear from Ambassador Jayatilleke’s response, his thrust is to disassociate himself from the recall of the Defence Attaché though he claims he had made “certain minor critical observations.” Firstly, it is a matter of time before the Defence Attaché returns to Colombo since his organisation has already advised him to be ready to leave at short notice.

As for “embellishing” or the report “being spun,” we must bow to his superior knowledge and wide experience on embellishment and spin. He is emphatic that he had not forwarded a written complaint over an “extremely competent” staffer but only made “minor” observations. I stand corrected.

However, I might add that pressure moves are already afoot to retain the services of the DA in Moscow at the highest levels.