UN acted in haste in recalling official, shutting UNDP: Prof. G.L

Colombo, July 9 (PTI): The government on Friday said UN chief Ban Ki-moon had acted in ‘precipitant haste’ in recalling a top official of the world body for consultation and closing the UNDP office here, amid a row over the setting up of a human rights panel for Sri Lanka.

The government said Ban Ki-moon had acted in ‘precipitant haste’ in recalling UN’s Country Representative Neil Buhne to New York for consultations and closing the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) regional office in the capital.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told parliament that Buhne had been summoned for consultations in New York by the Secretary General and expressed regret at the hasty decision.

“Given that background, the UN secretary general acted in haste by asking Buhne to come to New York,” Peiris said, adding his government “regretted” Ban’s decision.