Picture: When Salley Met Rajapaksa To Strengthen His Hand
May 4, 2013
In December 05, 2009, former UNP Mayor Azath Salley said that he vehemently opposed Sarath Fonseka’s candidacy because he could not work with a person who had been critical of the rights of minorities. Within couple of days Salley met President Mahinda Rajapaksa to strengthen his hand.
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Israeli envoy to Lanka says his country boycotts UNHRC *Working ties suspended as the UN body fails to be even hande
Amb. Alon Ushpiz
By Shamindra Ferdinando
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Israeli Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alon Ushpiz says the Jewish State wouldn’t take part in deliberations conducted under the auspices of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), as the 47-member grouping wasn’t being fair by the government of Israel.
The group is divided into five regional bodies.
Asked whether the government of Israel could ignore the global rights body, in the wake of spate of allegations directed at the administration, soft spoken Ambassador Ushpiz emphasized that a decision was taken to suspend working ties with the grouping having closely studied the situation.
"We’ll not cooperate with the UNHRC," the envoy told The Island in an exclusive interview at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, while declining to compare the criticism leveled against Israel and Sri Lanka at the rights body.
Responding to a query on whether Israel was comfortable with six one-sided resolutions being passed at the UNHRC at the recently concluded sessions.
Ambassador Ushpiz said that he wasn’t aware whether any other country had suspended relations with the UNHRC.
Although some felt that Sri Lanka’s relations with Israel would suffer after the end of the conflict, due to the Jewish state being one of the major suppliers of armaments, Ambassador Ushpiz said that there had been a significant growth in bilateral relations. The envoy said that there had been constant contact at different levels, with Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris visit to Tel Aviv recently being an important development.According to Ambassador Ushpiz, the two governments were in the process of cooperating in the fields of water and agriculture.
Asked whether there was a likelihood of Israel establishing a diplomatic mission in Colombo, the Ambassador emphasized the need to achieve a certain amount of bilateral trade, political activity et al before a decision could be taken. A smiling Ambassador said: "We are on the right track. Setting up of a business development office in Colombo was a decision in the right direction."
Commenting on stalled peace negotiations with Palestine, Ushpiz stressed that successive Israeli governments had been constant with its position in this regard. "We are for direct negotiations with no prerequisites during which all issues can be discussed," he said. "Obviously we have security concerns. Peace can be only achieved if our security concerns are addressed. Nothing can be as important as recognizing Israel as the Jewish state. We are for a two-state solution," the envoy said.
Appreciating ongoing US efforts to help Israel and Palestine resume negotiations, the Israeli envoy stressed that the negotiating process could get underway in five seconds if the Palestinians made a positive response. Unfortunately, the Palestinians had been reluctant to return to the negotiating table, the diplomat said, while noting there was a stalemate for four years.
When pointed out that Israel had been accused of jeopardizing the negotiating process by continuing with its housing construction programme, Ambassador Uphpiz recalled the circumstances under which the government dismantled a major housing project in the Gaza Strip during 2005 to facilitate the peace process. The Ambassador said: "We have proved time after time that we are capable of dismantling Jewish towns for the sake of peace. The removal of 8,000 Israelis from Gaza Strip in 2005 was a case in point. Today there is not a single Israeli in Gaza Strip."
Ambassador Uphpiz insisted that settlements weren’t the main issue. The Israeli said that there had to be direct negotiations between the two parties, though there could be other players to help move forward the negotiating process. Asked whether Israel would agree to meet Palestine in any part of the world, the New Delhi based diplomat said that it was ridiculous to seek far away venues when Ramallah and Jerusalem were just 30 minutes away overland. "What is the purpose in flying ten or twelve hours when those engaged in the negotiating process can meet conveniently," he said.
The Ambassador said that Israel wanted the Palestinians to enjoy better living conditions. That would be important and could help ongoing efforts to pave the way for resumption of negotiations, he said.
