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Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN, Geneva

Sri Lanka’s efforts at achieving national reconciliation and significant progress in many spheres received support from countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America during the adoption of the resolution on 27 March 2014 and consideration of the High Commissioner's Report on Sri Lanka on 26 March 2014 at the Human Rights Council.

China said “the international community must respect the right to choose one’s own path of development.” They also pointed out that the co-sponsors of the draft resolution on Sri Lanka “used the problem of human rights to openly exert pressure on Sri Lanka” to intervene in the internal affairs of the country.” China shared the concerns of many other countries that “this resolution does not reflect the consensus of the Council” and it is “an example of politicization of human rights” and at the same time “some of the contents of the draft goes against the mandate of the High Commissioner and provision of the resolution which established the Council.”

Pakistan expressing their concern and opposition to country-specific resolutions in principle said “such resolutions are ineffective and counter-productive.” While commending Sri Lanka for successfully “overcoming this menace of terrorism and separatism” it emphasized that “the international community including the HRC should help and support Sri Lanka to heal its wounds and achieve reconciliation and lasting peace” instead of “adding fuel to the fire.” Pakistan reiterated that “no self-respecting country would agree to the intrusive measures advocated in this resolution” while pointing out OP 10 and OP 6 of the resolution as examples. Raising a question on the capacity of the OHCHR to carry out its mandate given by the resolution, Pakistan said if the OHCHR is to receive funds “from countries that have sponsored this resolution it will obviously be seen as a process that will be tainted.”

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