President Mahinda Rajapaksa continues to have very cordial relations with Justice Bhagwati, says a media release issued today (05) by the Presidential Secretariat titled “Justice Bhagwati and IIGEP” in response to a news item prominently displayed in the Sunday Times of July 01, 2007. 

It says that “the Sunday Times report is wholly incorrect in its claim that in a letter from the President’s Office dated June 29, 2007 the President had requested
Justice P. N. Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India, to continue in his position as Chairman of the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) observing the functioning of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into alleged serious violations of Human Rights.” 

The release said that “such a request to Justice Bhagwati has not arisen because at no stage has he informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa of any desire to relinquish or discontinue his work as Chairman of the IIGEP.”
 

The release:

“The attention of the Presidential Secretariat has been drawn to the prominent news item on page 01 in The Sunday Times of July 01, 2007 headlined “President urges Bhagwati to continue; clarifies AG’s remarks”.

”The Sunday Times report is wholly incorrect in its claim that in a letter from the President’s Office dated June 29, 2007 the President had requested Justice P. N. Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India, to continue in his position as Chairman of the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) observing the functioning of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into alleged serious violations of Human Rights. 

”Such a request to Justice Bhagwati has not arisen because at no stage has he informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa of any desire to relinquish or discontinue his work as Chairman of the IIGEP. 

”The Sunday Times report is also at fault in stating that the said letter referred to the recent comments by the Attorney General on Public Statements made by the IIGEP and the functioning of its members. There was no such reference. 

”The letter of June 29, 2007 from the Secretary to the President to Justice Bhagwati was conveyed to him by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, and has been very well received by the Chairman of the IIGEP. President Mahinda Rajapaksa continues to have very cordial relations with Justice Bhagwati. 

”It is regretted that no verification of the relevant content of this news item was made from the Presidential Secretariat, prior to its publication. 

”The Sunday Times has been informed of these errors in its report, and the publication of a correction sought with similar prominence in the next issue of the newspaper. 

”This statement is issued to the Media in view of the importance of this matter, vis-à-vis good relations between the President and Justice Bhagwati and other members of the IIGEP; and the wrong impression this report can create, especially among the international community, on a very sensitive issue.”