UK To Seek Commitment
By Easwaran Rutnam-Sunday, November 10, 2013
The British Government is to push Sri Lanka to demonstrate its commitment to Commonwealth values when British Prime Minister David Cameron visits the country for the Commonwealth summit (CHOGM) this week.
British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka John Rankin told The Sunday Leader that, as British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated, he is coming to Sri Lanka because of the importance Britain attaches to the Commonwealth, irrespective of where CHOGM will be held.
He noted that Britain is a strong supporter of the Commonwealth as a force for good, and Britain will continue to promote its values.
“Secondly, we are coming because the spotlight will be on Sri Lanka as host – and Chair of the Commonwealth for the next two years – and we will look to Sri Lanka, as we would any host of CHOGM, to demonstrate its commitment to Commonwealth values,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the British Tamil community, including British Tamils Forum members, met Cameron last week to challenge the UK government on its decision to attend CHOGM.
“Secondly, we are coming because the spotlight will be on Sri Lanka as host – and Chair of the Commonwealth for the next two years – and we will look to Sri Lanka, as we would any host of CHOGM, to demonstrate its commitment to Commonwealth values,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the British Tamil community, including British Tamils Forum members, met Cameron last week to challenge the UK government on its decision to attend CHOGM.
The delegation was invited to meet the Prime Minister following sustained calls by many, both within and outside the Tamil community, that the UK Government should follow the Canadian government’s lead and boycott CHOGM 2013.
The Prime Minister told the delegation that he could not boycott the summit without betraying Britain’s duties to the Commonwealth and its other member states, and that it is now too late to prevent the Sri Lankan President gaining chairmanship of the Commonwealth. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister assured the delegation that he would not let Sri Lanka use the event as an opportunity to whitewash its international image, and that he would instead ensure his visit is used to shine a spotlight on past and current crimes being committed by Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister told the delegation that he could not boycott the summit without betraying Britain’s duties to the Commonwealth and its other member states, and that it is now too late to prevent the Sri Lankan President gaining chairmanship of the Commonwealth. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister assured the delegation that he would not let Sri Lanka use the event as an opportunity to whitewash its international image, and that he would instead ensure his visit is used to shine a spotlight on past and current crimes being committed by Sri Lanka.
