With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yet to take a
decision on whether to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting in Colombo next month, Sri Lanka has made it clear that India
would be isolated if it does not participate in the summit.
“Human
rights violation takes place in every country in the world. We have our
share of it and we are making effort to correct them.
“All
the governments in the Commonwealth had decided unanimously that the
Commonwealth Summit will be held in Sri Lanka, so there is no boycott.
Isolation will happen to those who do not participate not the other way
round,” Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam said
in New Delhi.
He also told that the “Prime Minister
of India is not only leader in this region but leader in Asia, leader
in Commonwealth and even in fact the world, so bearing that in
mind....it is a decision that India will have to take bearing in mind
the national responsibilities and their profile.”
Last
week, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh said the Prime Minister has been
invited by the government of Sri Lanka for CHOGM but the government has
not taken any decision.
“The decision will be taken
closer to the date (of CHOGM) keeping in view the foreign policy,
international obligations and national interest,” she told reporters
when asked whether the Prime Minister will travel to Colombo to attend
the meet.
“Foreign policy is an extension of
domestic policy. It is meant to protect domestic interests and any
decision that will be taken will be keeping in view the domestic
interests, foreign policy and international obligations,” she added.
Parties
in Tamil Nadu are strongly opposed to Singh’s participation in the
Summit in Colombo, alleging that Sri Lanka has indulged in atrocities
against ethnic Tamils.
Scaling up pressure on the
Centre, Tamil Nadu Assembly today passed a unanimous resolution
demanding that India “completely” boycott the meeting in Sri Lanka and
seek temporary suspension of the island nation from Commonwealth.
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