Sri Lanka’s soul ‘will not be allowed to be used against India’

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary Admiral (Retd) Jayanath Colombage said that he expects India to stand by and vote in favor of Sri Lanka ahead of next week’s UNHRC sessions on the country’s rights and accountability record, Daily News reported.

In an interview to India Today TV, he said “Abstention will not hamper ties.But India’s great leader speaks of ‘Neighborhood First’.We are immediate neighbours,” Jayanath Colombage said.

“We understand that the Tamil Nadu elections are coming up and Sri Lanka is always an issue. So we understand. India is a great friend. We expect India to stand by Sri Lanka.

“India is against country specific resolutions. They are against so-called rapporteurs being around to judge human rights situations in other countries. I think India is moving a resolution in that regard.”

Speaking of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Sri Lanka he said: ”It was a bilateral visit. We did not visit (Pakistan) to garner OIC votes at UNHRC neither were we influenced by Imran Khan’s visit.

“We were very conscious of India’s concerns and ensured New Delhi is not embarrassed by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s visit. Sri Lanka’s soul will not be allowed to be used against India or to attack India.”

“Like farmers’ protests in India, our trade union protested against a deal. As a democratically chosen government, we had to listen to them. We have offered India the West Container Terminal.”