Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 16 January 2014
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Sri Lanka
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in establishing the independent international inquiry into events at the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka since the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013; and if he will make a statement. [182835]
16 Jan 2014 : Column 608W
Mr Swire: As the Prime Minister said in his statement to Parliament on 18 November 2013, Official Report, columns 959-61, we will continue to press the Sri Lankan Government for credible, transparent and independent investigations into alleged war crimes. We have made clear that if a credible domestic process has not begun properly by March we will use our seat on the UN Human Rights Council to call for an international investigation. We are regularly discussing Sri Lanka with a range of international partners in the run-up to the next session of the Human Rights Council in March. The High Commissioner for Human Rights' report ahead of the Human Rights Council will give an assessment of Sri Lanka's progress.
