UN General Assembly resolution against Russia: Lanka’s abstention linked to Moscow’s US$ 300m credit line?

Former UK ambassador to Sri Lanka James Dauris, asked a rhetorical question on Twitter with a list of countries that abstained in the voting. “If your country abstained, do you feel proud of how it voted?”

When the United Nations General Assembly-- known as the world’s town hall--convened on Wednesday to demand an end to the Russian offensive in Ukraine through a non-binding resolution, Sri Lanka was among the 35 countries that abstained. Hundred and forty one countries voted in favour while five countries voted against it.

Notably, neighbouring India too abstained in the vote but through its diplomatic channels, it secured a brief six hour window of no retaliation from the Russian side to evacuate and repatriate its citizens, mostly students, from the conflict zones.

The reason for Sri Lanka’s stand made sense hours later, when news broke that then Government requested for US$ 300 million Russian credit line to purchase crude oil, gas and coal from the country that is waging war on its neighbouring country. A Russian trade delegation headed by the Industry and Trade Deputy Minister was also in the capital this week.

Former UK ambassador to Sri Lanka James Dauris, who currently heads the UK’s Fore i g n Commonwealth Development Office, asked a rhetorical question on Twitter with a list of countries that abstained in the voting. “If your country abstained, do you feel proud of how it voted?”

Responding to it, a former Sri Lanka Foreign Service official responded: “Well, according to the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister’s logic an abstention at the UN is a No vote. So, No.”