Sri Lanka denies shutting down UN offices

There has not been any decision to shut down UN offices in Sri Lankan capital, External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris told parliament on Friday.

"Reports of a closure are incorrect. Its country representative Neil Buhne was only called for consultations," Peiris said.

Peiris referred to a statement from the spokesman for the UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon which said "the secretary-general finds it unacceptable that the Sri Lankan authorities have failed to prevent the disruption of the normal functioning of the United Nations offices in Colombo as a result of unruly protests organized and led by a cabinet minister of the government."

The spokesman also said Ban has decided to close down the UNDP Regional Center in Colombo.

The UN reaction came as Engineering Services Minister Wimal Weerawansa sat in protest opposite the UN compound in Colombo on a hunger strike.

He demands the disbanding of the advisory panel appointed by Ban Ki-moon on alleged war crimes during the last stages of the island state's civil war between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Weerawansa is also the leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF), a government ally whose activists have been demonstrating near the UN offices since Tuesday.

Source: Xinhua