By KANWAL SIBALMany arguments can be made against our decision to vote against Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a decision highly questionable from the foreign policy point of view.
Domestic compulsions seem to have outweighed foreign policy considerations in this case. India and the West have been at odds on how best to address the issue of human rights internationally. India shares the view that the West uses the issue to embarrass, destabilise or topple politically uncongenial governments. During the Cold War the Soviet Union was succesfully destabilised through the human rights basket of the Helsinki Accords. Cuba has been a favourite target year after year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Sri Lankan President
Mahinda Rajapaksa
