Sri Lanka has started preparing for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the UN General Assembly (GA) sessions scheduled for this month, and as part of this preparation, the Government has already conveyed its stance to Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Mohan Peiris PC in New York, USA and Ambassador C.A. Chandraprema in Geneva, Switzerland.
Revealing this, newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told the media that when looking at the atrocities transpiring in the South Asian region, Sri Lanka can be identified as a rather peaceful country, and went on to question the validity and necessity of levelling allegations of human rights violations against Sri Lanka.
However, many international human rights monitors do seriously consider the allegations of human rights violations against the country, and whether we like it or not, the truth is that at some point, the ongoing discussions about the same will come to closure. It is how we face these discussions that will play a pivotal role in deciding their outcome, and the responsibility falls on Prof. Peiris to mend and strengthen damaged foreign ties, and to forge new relationships.
This responsibility cannot be stressed enough at this point, because the state of Sri Lanka’s foreign ties, which was displayed at the last UNHRC session in March, is alarming. Out of the 47 member countries, only 11 voted in Sri Lanka’s favour. However, the Government and Prof. Peiris’ predecessor justified this by claiming that it was, in fact, a victory and not a defeat, as 14 member countries had abstained from voting. Changing this culture of denying responsibility and whitewashing is also a challenge Prof. Peiris will have to face, not only for the sake of protecting the country’s image on the international stage, but also to protect its people from the consequences of weak foreign relations.
Speaking of detrimental results that may result from Sri Lanka’s foreign relations, it is not only the UNHRC session we have to be concerned about. As far as foreign relations are concerned, Sri Lanka has another imminent challenge that, if not overcome, is quite capable of affecting the country’s dwindling economy. That is the resolution passed by the European Parliament in June, which has expressed strong concerns, among other things, on Sri Lanka’s human rights situation, including the arrests and detentions taking place under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 as amended (PTA) – which has also been highlighted by the UNHRC. The most threatening outcome of this resolution is that it urges the European Commission to consider a temporary withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade concession. In this context, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the challenge of preventing such sanctions also falls on Prof. Peiris’ shoulders.
Above all, the country is in the midst of a pandemic, and the need for international support, especially to obtain vaccines, is a reality we cannot deny.
As much as the matter of foreign affairs is an extremely sensitive matter to Sri Lanka at this juncture, the nation is in a position where it has to convey and justify its stance well enough to convince foreign nations to respect Sri Lanka’s autonomy and extend their support to resolve its issues. This is the crux of the challenge our new Foreign Affairs Minister will have to face, because in the recent past, Sri Lanka promised to resolve its own issues but did not really convince onlookers that it succeeded.
And so, especially at this juncture where healthy foreign relations are of utmost importance, the role of Foreign Minister demands not a nationalistic, vociferous politician, but a subtle, convincing diplomat. In this sense, Prof. Peiris’ appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs seems appropriate – he has forged himself a name as both a seasoned politician and a renowned academic. Most importantly, he is known to have a calmer personality, and to take a more measured approach, than his predecessor.
Sri Lanka is at a point where it needs allies and agreements, not accusers and sanctions, and thus it falls on our new Foreign Affairs Minister to navigate the web of diplomatic relations with as much diplomacy as he can muster, or we all risk being ensnared further by debt.Towards more ‘diplomatic’ diplomacy
31 Aug 2021
Towards more ‘diplomatic’ diplomacy
31 Aug 2021
Sri Lanka has started preparing for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the UN General Assembly (GA) sessions scheduled for this month, and as part of this preparation, the Government has already conveyed its stance to Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Mohan Peiris PC in New York, USA and Ambassador C.A. Chandraprema in Geneva, Switzerland.
Revealing this, newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told the media that when looking at the atrocities transpiring in the South Asian region, Sri Lanka can be identified as a rather peaceful country, and went on to question the validity and necessity of levelling allegations of human rights violations against Sri Lanka.
However, many international human rights monitors do seriously consider the allegations of human rights violations against the country, and whether we like it or not, the truth is that at some point, the ongoing discussions about the same will come to closure. It is how we face these discussions that will play a pivotal role in deciding their outcome, and the responsibility falls on Prof. Peiris to mend and strengthen damaged foreign ties, and to forge new relationships.
This responsibility cannot be stressed enough at this point, because the state of Sri Lanka’s foreign ties, which was displayed at the last UNHRC session in March, is alarming. Out of the 47 member countries, only 11 voted in Sri Lanka’s favour. However, the Government and Prof. Peiris’ predecessor justified this by claiming that it was, in fact, a victory and not a defeat, as 14 member countries had abstained from voting. Changing this culture of denying responsibility and whitewashing is also a challenge Prof. Peiris will have to face, not only for the sake of protecting the country’s image on the international stage, but also to protect its people from the consequences of weak foreign relations.
Speaking of detrimental results that may result from Sri Lanka’s foreign relations, it is not only the UNHRC session we have to be concerned about. As far as foreign relations are concerned, Sri Lanka has another imminent challenge that, if not overcome, is quite capable of affecting the country’s dwindling economy. That is the resolution passed by the European Parliament in June, which has expressed strong concerns, among other things, on Sri Lanka’s human rights situation, including the arrests and detentions taking place under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 as amended (PTA) – which has also been highlighted by the UNHRC. The most threatening outcome of this resolution is that it urges the European Commission to consider a temporary withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade concession. In this context, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the challenge of preventing such sanctions also falls on Prof. Peiris’ shoulders.
Above all, the country is in the midst of a pandemic, and the need for international support, especially to obtain vaccines, is a reality we cannot deny.
As much as the matter of foreign affairs is an extremely sensitive matter to Sri Lanka at this juncture, the nation is in a position where it has to convey and justify its stance well enough to convince foreign nations to respect Sri Lanka’s autonomy and extend their support to resolve its issues. This is the crux of the challenge our new Foreign Affairs Minister will have to face, because in the recent past, Sri Lanka promised to resolve its own issues but did not really convince onlookers that it succeeded.
And so, especially at this juncture where healthy foreign relations are of utmost importance, the role of Foreign Minister demands not a nationalistic, vociferous politician, but a subtle, convincing diplomat. In this sense, Prof. Peiris’ appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs seems appropriate – he has forged himself a name as both a seasoned politician and a renowned academic. Most importantly, he is known to have a calmer personality, and to take a more measured approach, than his predecessor.
Sri Lanka is at a point where it needs allies and agreements, not accusers and sanctions, and thus it falls on our new Foreign Affairs Minister to navigate the web of diplomatic relations with as much diplomacy as he can muster, or we all risk being ensnared further by debt.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!