GAGANI WEERAKOON Courtesy Ceylon Today

President Maithripala Sirisena has not given his consent to co-sponsor the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution to extend the 2015 Resolution by another two years, Parliament was told today (19).

United National Front Parliamentarian Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (PC) claimed that it is the President who has the powers to decide as to whether the country should co-sponsor an international agreement or not.

The MP, taking the floor during the Budget debate, said that co-sponsoring 2015 resolution was an ‘unwise act’, adding that he had told Minister Mangala Samaraweera, that the US, the UK and the European Union delegations were not in line with Sri Lanka’s Constitution.

Under the previous administration, MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, who oversaw the External Affairs Ministry, was above then External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris and he was allowed even to exert muscle power against anybody. That was how the previous Government handled the foreign policy. The same happens even today. Foreign Affairs Minister Thilak Marapana or Ministry Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinghe is not aware of most of the decisions. The decisions related to the foreign affairs are taken at the Finance Ministry. Some of those meetings were held at the official residence of the Finance Minister with the participation of his close associates and Non-Governmental Organizations-men. Today, Senior Advisor Mano Tittawela is the one who gives instructions to our Ambassador in Geneva. What authority does he have to decide the country’s foreign policy,” MP Dr. Rajapakshe questioned.

MP Rajapakshe further alleged that Singapore was covering former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran because of the Free Trade Agreement with Singapore from which it reaped a host of benefits.

Tags: UNHRS