To defeat US proposal :

Minister to stand up for Cuba

BY NADIRA Gunatilleke

CULTURAL AFFAIRS and National Heritage Minister Vijitha Herath expressed willingness to consider the possibilities of supporting Cuba to defeat the United States' proposal to be presented against it at the 61 st Session of United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) a ministry spokesman said.

He said that Minister Herath expressed his willingness to consider the possibilities of supporting Cuba during a meeting held between him and Cuban Ambassador Ms. Enna Esther at the ministry recently.

The 61 st Session of the UNHRC will be held from March 14 to April 22 in Geneva. During this session Sri Lanka will get an opportunity to vote for or against the proposal to be presented by the US. Sri Lanka refrained from voting when a similar proposal was brought in 1999.

Ms. Esther requested the support of Sri Lankan Government to defeat US proposal which creates negative impacts on development and human rights of small countries such as Cuba.

Minister Herath expressed his willingness to consider the possibility of gathering signatures of prominent Sri Lankan scholars, artistes, media personnel and the general public for a petition in order to support Cuba.