SL has all the right to protect people - Envoy

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/04/21/news03.asp

SL has all the right to protect people - Envoy
Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE
When Sri Lanka is healing its wounds after the 30 decade conflict, the United Nation may render its assistance, if needed and not to complicate the reconciliation process, Russian Federation Ambassador to Sri Lanka Vladimir P Mikhaylov said.
Vladimir P Mikhaylov
The ambassador addressing the media in Colombo yesterday regarding the report of the panel of experts established by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, said the Sri Lankan government as an independent and sovereign country has every right and obligation to protect its people from terrorism.
Speaking about the report, he pointed out that the report is not “a UN report” since it was prepared neither by a UN body nor even by its request.
It was just a personal initiative of the UN Secretary General, he said.
“As follows from UN sources, this panel is not a fact finding or investigation mechanism, but is designed solely to advise the UN General Secretary on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law,” Ambassador Mikhaylov said noting the Russian position regarding the panel report while quoting a press statement on June 24, 2010 issued by the Russian Federation Foreign Ministry.
The Ambassador pointed out that the UN Secretary General as the chief administrative officer of the United Nations should apparently have asked the opinion of the Security Council or the General Assembly on this mater. However, rather than acting so, a panel had been appointed.
“This makes us cautious is the fact that this decision was taken without regarding the position of Sri Lanka as a sovereign state and a member of the UN,” the Ambassador added.
He added that the primary responsibility for investigating the events that occurred in the past in Sri Lanka lies with its government and that the newly appointed panel of experts will not take any step that would complicate the investigation being conducted by the authorities of Colombo.
“Unfortunately it seems that the panel of experts went beyond its task, at least as it had been made known to our representative in New York,” Ambassador Mikhaylov noted.