US stands by Report claimed to be baseless by Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka government has expressed its serious concerns about the recently released US State Department Report on Human Rights in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama summoned the US Ambassador in Colombo Robert O Blake last week and conveyed the government’s position while protesting the report on Sri Lanka as baseless.
But in A statement issued by the Embassy in Colombo said that the U.S. Government stands by the report.
Full Text of Press Release, US Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka:
U.S. Stands by Human Rights Report; Looks Forward to Continued Dialogue
Colombo, March 14, 2008 – U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama held a constructive discussion on March 14 of the 2007 Report on Human Rights Practices in Sri Lanka that was released this week by the Department of State. The U.S. Government stands by the report. Our goal in the annual, Congressionally-mandated Reports on Human Rights Practices, which are issued for 196 countries, is always to be fair and objective. We welcome information from governments and other parties to correct what are perceived to be inaccuracies. We look forward to continued dialogue with the government to address human rights concerns in Sri Lanka.
