(SL Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam, US Ambassador Eileen Donahoe)
Sri Lanka expressed outrage over an email purportedly sent to member states of the human rights council by the U.S Mission in Geneva seeking support for a resolution on Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the email dated 21st February, purporting to have originated from the Mission of the United States to the United Nations and other International Organisations at Geneva, was signed by one Miriam Shahrzard Schive.
“This e-mail creates the impression that diplomatic officials of the U.S. have been in close contact with the Government of Sri Lanka, as well as this Mission, to work, collaboratively on issues of accountability (in Sri Lanka) and the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’s Report. It goes on to express the hope that the Sri Lankan Government will work with us on this Resolution. It obliquely canvasses the position of a co-sponsorship of a Resolution and conveys a false impression that Sri Lanka is working with the United States on this Resolution,” the External Affairs Ministry said.
The External Affairs Ministry insisted that that at no time has the Sri Lankan government or it’s Mission in Geneva, ever worked with representatives of the United States on any Resolution on whatsoever.
