The UN Spokesman in Sri Lanka, Gordon Weiss, is to be summoned to the Foreign Ministry for questioning over his comments to the international media that there was a bloodbath in the No Fire Zone.

Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona told a media briefing, May 11, that the UN Country Representative had been told of the Government’s objections to the behaviour and comments of the UN Spokesman, and necessary and appropriate action would be taken.

The United Nations has described the situation in northern Sri Lanka as a "bloodbath" after reports of heavy civilian casualties at the weekend. The UN Secretary General too has expressed regret at this bloodbath in Sri Lanka.

The UN comments were based the statements to the international media by the UN Spokesman in Colombo Gordon Weiss that more than 100 children died during the "large-scale killing of civilians". Weiss had told the media that the UN had consistently warned of an impending bloodbath in the area.

These statements by the UN Spokesman were also the substance of the criticism of Sri Lanka leveled by UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and the Austrian Foreign Minister at a Press Conference held at the UN, New York, May 11.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary, Palitha Kohona, said the government took "serious offence" at the remarks by Mr. Weiss. "It is not the role of the UN office to say anything in public to embarrass the host government," he said.

The BBC’s Correspondent in Colombo Charles Haviland, who also reported the alleged killings of over 371 and injury to over 1,300 in the May 10 report, said these figures of casualties would make it the “bloodiest day” in the Sri Lankan war. Although admitting that the figures could not be independently verified, he failed to express any doubts about the authenticity of such claim about the “bloodiest day” – which was in sync with the story put out by the pro-LTTE pressure group from Canada and the statements by the UN Spokesman in Colombo.