Minister Peiris on Cameron statement:
No country can dictate terms to SL
* Country no longer a colony
* No change of policies to satisfy others
Chaminda PERERA
External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris yesterday said that the
government, mandated by the majority of people, is not prepared to
implement or change policies to satisfy other countries.
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Minister
Prof
G L Peiris |
Referring to a recent statement by British Prime Minister David
Cameron that Sri Lanka should make progress in terms of human rights
before the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting in Colombo, Minister
Prof Peiris said that Sri Lanka is no longer a colony of a foreign
nation and no country has any right to dictate terms to Sri lanka. He
said that Sri Lanka is implementing policies to achieve the aspirations
of people of the country.
The External Affairs Minister stressed that no country had
reservations over the venue of the next CHOGM. He said that all
countries unanimously agreed to hold the summit in Colombo. “The venue
of 2013 CHOGM was decided in Trinidad in 2009 and that decision was
never revisited. Not a single country raised the issue at the CHOGM in
Perth,” Minister Prof Peiris added.
Commenting on the Canadian Prime Minister’s Stephen Harper that he
would not participate in the next CHOGM that is scheduled to be held in
Colombo, the External Affairs Minister said that Canadian Prime Minister
did not raise objection for holding the CHOGM in Sri Lanka. “Whether the
Canadian Prime Minister is participating in the summit or not is a
decision of that country.
The government yesterday said that it has every confidence that the
2013 Commonwealth Heads of State meeting in Colombo will be a great
success.
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