Australian Foreign affairs officials say they saw no reason to keep Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to Australia from taking up his posting.

The Australian Greens and Tamil groups want Thisara Samarasinghe recalled or expelled over unproven claims he is responsible for war crimes.

The Australian Federal Police is currently assessing a dossier prepared by the International Commission of Jurists said to detail evidence of war crimes committed during the government’s final 2009 offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Secretary Dennis Richardson said his department advised Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to approve Admiral Samarasinghe’s appointment earlier this year, despite the opposition of Tamil groups.

“We saw no reason for him to be denied agreement,” Mr Richardson told a Senate estimates committee in Canberra on Thursday. DFAT provided its initial advice on February 10. Mr Rudd approved the appointment on April 2.

Mr Richardson also defended Australia’s High Commissioner to Colombo Kathy Klugman, who praised the Sri Lankan navy for intercepting a people smuggling boat last month.

Her comments were criticised by some human rights groups and media commentators.

“I think it was entirely appropriate,” he said.

Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and other senior officials will be in Australia next week to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, AAP reports.