UK High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton has raised concerns over certain high profile cases cited in the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while she met Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister G L Pieris, the Sri Lankan foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister referred to the recent cordial engagement with British Minister of State for South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmad on the side-lines of the 76th UN General Assembly in New York, following up on previous communication with the UK’s Minister of State. This dialogue, the Minister stated, is important in the context of Lord Ahmad’s initiatives to engage the Sri Lankan diaspora in the UK and to generate a more realistic understanding of contemporary developments in Sri Lanka. This is expected to be further enhanced by a proposed visit by the UK State Minister later in 2021,” SL foreign ministry said in the statement.
“Several key areas impacting on future Sri Lanka – UK bilateral relations were discussed, including the recent initiatives to foster and develop domestic reconciliation measures taken by the Sri Lankan Government. These included the work of the institutions dealing with national unity and reconciliation, missing persons, accountability and reparations. High Commissioner Hulton also raised concerns relating to certain high profile Sri Lankan cases that are of current interest and focus. Some of these issues were adverted to in the context of Sri Lanka’s ongoing engagement with the UN Human Rights Council.”
