Investigation lies with the government – Russia slams UN panel
June 25, 2010 08:00 am
Russiahas criticized the appointment of a UN Panel of Experts on Sri Lankaquestioning why the opinion of the Security Council or the General Assembly was
not sought in the matter. Investigating the events that occurred in the past inSri Lanka lies with its Government,Russiasaid in a statement.
Full Release;
Moscowhas taken note of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s decision to appoint a UN
panel of experts to investigate war crimes during the period of the campaign
against the Tamil Tigers. As follows from UN sources, this panel is not a fact
finding or investigation mechanism, but is designed solely to advise him on
accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human
rights and humanitarian law.
In doing so, the UN Secretary-General as chief
administrative officer of the United Nations should apparently have asked the
opinion of the Security Council or the General Assembly on this matter. But
this has not happened. What also makes us cautious is the fact that this
decision was taken without regard to the position of a sovereign state and a
member of the UN – Sri Lanka.
As is known, they in Sri
Lanka have already begun their own
investigation process at national level (the Commission on Lessons Learnt and
Reconciliation with a mandate to review all aspects of the conflict). As
follows from the statement made on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka by the
External Affairs Ministry of that country, and the statement of its Minister of
Information, Sri Lanka “regards the appointment of the Sri Lanka Panel of
Experts as unwarranted and unnecessary and contrary to the position of a UN
member state.” Lynn Pascoe, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs,
who visited Sri Lanka a few
days ago, as we understand, was aware of this position of Colombo.
We believe that the primary responsibility for investigating
the events that occurred in the past in Sri Lanka lies with its Government and
that the newly appointed UN panel of experts, which, as follows from UN
Secretariat statements, does not intend to visit Sri Lanka, will not take any
steps that would complicate the investigation being conducted by the
authorities of Colombo.
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