For or against US action
[October
02, 2003 - 10.55
GMT]
Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe’s recent address to the 58th UN General Assembly
has caused some confusion in the international arena as to the stand adopted
by the government of Sri Lanka regarding the US led attack on Iraq.
The Premier’s September
26th speech in New York virtually justifying the US invasion of
Iraq is diametrically opposed to the views President Kumaratunga expressed
on same issue at the NAM summit in Malaysia, February this year.
Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe said, “There are members in this
hall today who believe passionately that the US and their allies were wrong
in intervening in Iraq. Then there are those of us who feel that the United
States and their allies had no choice but to intervene, that the failure of
the UN had created the need for a world policeman however reluctant it might
be”.
President
Kumaratunga’s stand of non-intervention without UN sanctions was clear when
said, “We have noted that the UN weapons inspectors
have stated in their last report to the Security Council that Iraq is
cooperating in the process of inspection and progress made on many issues.
We have still not seen sufficient evidence to justify an armed attack on
Iraq. We are strongly of the view that a negotiated settlement can be
arrived at without using violence against Iraq”.
The apparent
inconsistency between the stance of the President and her Prime Minister on
the Iraq issue appears to have touched a raw nerve among Sri Lankans and the
Muslims in particular. Diplomatic sources that chose to remain unnamed said
this sends out confusing signals to the international community and raises
the question as to who represents the country on the World stage.
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Last Updated
Date: October 02, 2003 -10.55
GMT. |
