Mahinda Rajapaksa said such an intention 'would certainly be perceived as an interference' with the country in the process of holding an island wide general elections.
The United Nations (UN) has proposed to set up a expert panel to look into alleged human rights violations during the last phase of the civil war in Sri Lanka, triggering a sharp reaction from the country's president Mahinda Rajapaksa who rejected the move.
UN secretary-general Ban ki-Moon spoke with Rajapaksa over telephone to inform him of his intention to go ahead with the establishment of a 'Panel of Experts'.
"He (Ban) also explained that such a panel would advise him on the way forward on accountability issues related to Sri Lanka," UN chief spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters at the UN headquarters yesterday.
But, in a sharp reaction, Rajapaksa termed the move as "unwarranted" and "uncalled for" and said his country opposed the move.
"The intention of the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to appoint a panel of experts to advice him on Sri Lanka is totally uncalled for and unwarranted," Rajapaksa said in a statement in Colombo.
He said such an intention "would certainly be perceived as an interference" with the country in the process of holding general elections. The Sri Lankan statement warned that appointment of such a panel as intended, would compel Sri Lanka to take necessary and appropriate action in that regard. But did not elaborate.
"The president stressed that Sri Lanka looked forward to treatment as per the UN Charter that provides for equal treatment to all members of the UN, while respecting the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states," it said.
The president also told Moon that he would shortly be addressing a letter to the UN secretary general, further to this telephonic discussion.
"Rajapaksa said it was both unprecedented and unwarranted as no such action had been taken about other states with continuing armed conflicts on a large scale, involving major humanitarian catastrophes and causing the deaths of large numbers of civilians due to military action," it said.
Ban was told that Sri Lanka had concluded its armed conflict with the "most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world," more than nine months ago.
Rajapaksa said the Sri Lankan government was in process of working towards further strengthening of national reconciliation.
Rajapaksa also said that the implementation of such an intention would certainly be perceived as an interference with the current general election campaign being held island wide, the statement said.
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