Russia says aye to Lanka’s nay on international war crimes’ probe
17 Feb 2014 3:38 AM IST
Visiting Colombo amid concern about the country's human rights record in the United States and Britain, a senior Russian diplomat said attempts to impose an international inquiry into wartime atrocities would be counter-productive.
The United States and Britain have said they might ask the United Nations Human Rights Council in March to call for an inquiry. The UN has twice urged Sri Lanka to punish military personnel responsible for atrocities in the civil war.
A UN panel has said around 40,000 mainly Tamil civilians died in the final few months of the war.
Both sides committed atrocities but army shelling killed most victims, it concluded.
The United States and Britain have said they might ask the United Nations Human Rights Council in March to call for an inquiry. The UN has twice urged Sri Lanka to punish military personnel responsible for atrocities in the civil war.
A UN panel has said around 40,000 mainly Tamil civilians died in the final few months of the war.
Both sides committed atrocities but army shelling killed most victims, it concluded.
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