The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution urging Sri Lanka to “credibly investigate” allegations of violations during the war .   Tabling the resolution, the United States said Colombo had been given three years to hold its own investigations into allegations of serious violations, but “given the lack of action... it is appropriate” that the 47-member state coun...

Geneva: The 47-member United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted the resolution against Sri Lanka on alleged war crimes on Thursday with 24 countries voting in favour while eight abstained. India also voted in favour of the US-backed resolution. The resolution urged Colombo to investigate alleged war crimes during the last stage of its military ...

  The Sri Lankan government remained defiant despite losing a key vote at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris said that most countries which voted with Sri Lanka were acutely conscious of the danger of setting a precedent which enables ad hoc intervention by powerful countries in the internal ...

Russia is willing to assist Sri Lanka’s sports sector with Russian Sports Scholarships. Russia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Vladimiar P. Mikhaylov who met Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage assured the Russian Government’s support to strengthen the longstanding friendship between two countries. He assured cooperation on necessary diplomatic affairs. Targeting more winning medals at ...

Russia yesterday said that Sri Lanka's situation with regard to human rights does not in any way call for an external intervention and the Sri Lankan government is capable of solving its internal issues including human rights.

“If Sri Lanka succeeds in defeating the US-sponsored resolution there will be a renewal of government confidence in its policies of governance. It will mean that the government will continue to assert that national security and economic development constitute the pillars of national reconciliation. It may be for these reasons that the government has not ...

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema The government is racing to get the numbers required to defeat a US backed Resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session calling for the implementation of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). The Resolution is to be taken up this week and the US is ...

Sri Lanka will see nearly 1000 international buyers arriving in the country to explore opportunities at its Expo 2012, country’s largest export promotion event, which will commence during the last week of this month. The country’s Export Development Board says, already they have enlisted to take part in the event which will ...

Amid mounting speculation of potential oil reserves in Sri Lanka's seawaters, Indian media reports have suggested that India might be looking for a greater involvement overstepping China and Russia, who are also believed to be interested in oil exploration deals with the island nation.

India, China and Russia are interested about Sri Lanka's potential oil reserves, reports say.

US still under pressure to make changes SL continues to say Draft is premature Pressure on the US continues to mount on various aspects on the draft Resolution on Sri Lanka handed to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva. The Mahinda Rajapaksa government meanwhile is trying to grasp the possible benefits of ...

Sri Lanka on Thursday dismissed as "ill-timed and ill-conceived" a US move at the UN Human Rights Council to censure Colombo over alleged crimes AFP reported. Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena quoted by AFP said Sri Lanka was confident of defeating the three-point resolution at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva urging the island to probe alleged war crimes. "This resolution is ill-t...

The United States Wednesday submitted the draft resolution against Sri Lanka to the United Nations Human Rights Council at its 19th session in Geneva. The draft resolution submitted to the UN body notes the report of Sri Lanka’s domestic Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and its findings and recommendations while acknowledging its possible contribution to the country’...

Sri Lanka Expo 2012 will kick off on the 28th of this month. 370 exhibitors and a series of technical sessions and 700 foreign visitors including a 150 strong delegation from China already registered to attend.   Chairman of Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board, Janaka Ratnayake said the exhibition which will showcase export products and ...

More Indian firms are eyeing to enter Sri Lanka to explore oil, says a media report. According to the report, India’s state run ONGC and IOC are making attempts to enter exploration activities in the Island. Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Susil Premjayantha has said that representatives of the two Indian firms have visited Sri Lanka to ...

(Srilankamirror) -  Vladimir Putin has declared victory in Russia's presidential elections, returning for a third term after spending the last four years as the country's PM. Exit polls and preliminary results gave him about 60% of the vote. Mr Putin told supporters at a rally in central Moscow they had won in an open and honest battle. But opposition groups have reported w...

(Srilankamirror) - Polling stations across Russia have opened as the presidential election gets under way. Sunday's vote sees Vladimir Putin hoping to become president again after four years as prime minister. Mr Putin was Russia's president from 2000 to 2008, but was barred by the constitution from standing for a third consecutive term. He faces four challengers, three of whom ...

While the debate is on in the UNHRC assembly in Geneva, on the streets of Sri Lanka and even on the streets of some cities in Europe, the objectives of the American sponsored Resolution on alleged human rights violations by Sri Lankan armed forces, appear to be lost on most of those concerned, even the ...

Special human rights envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe speaking to Indian media said the country would receive full backing from India. India's manoramaonline quoted Mr. Samarasinghe who spoke via telephone as saying "We have the full backing from India. They have publicly expressed this assurance." "We are 100 per cent confident of Indian support," he said, adding alongsid...

(Srilankamirror) - Several countries, led by India, Russia, China and Cuba, will give tremendous support to defeat the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Commission session in Geneva, said a member of the Lankan delegation Nimal Siripala de Silva. He has told news.lk over the phone that contrary to certain media reports, India was extending commendable support to Sri ...

Thousands of jobs at risk By Indika Sri Aravinda The  tea industry, the country’s second largest net foreign exchange earner is facing a potential crisis as a result of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the US government, the Sri Lanka Tea Board said. Tea Board Chairperson Janaki Kuruppu told The Sunday Leader that ...

Harsh rhetoric and emotional outbursts before the commencement of the19th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council next week in Geneva have obfuscated the objectives of the resolution to be moved against Sri Lanka at the sessions. The issue on alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan servicemen has polarised into a debate of ...

In a show of solidarity to genocidal Sri Lanka, on the eve of UNHRC sessions in Geneva, military officials of Iran, Russia and Bangladesh visited Jaffna exclusively for meeting the occupying military of Sri Lanka in the peninsula, on Tuesday and Wednesday, news sources in Jaffna said. The visiting military delegates didn't meet the public, but were taken to showcase the rehabilitation of ex-LT...

Russia assures it will not give its support to any proposal projected against Sri Lanka at forth-coming United Nations Human Rights Session in Geneva. This assurance has been given by Russia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Vladimir Mikhailov, addressing a news conference at the Russian Centre in Colombo to mark the 55th Anniversary of diplomatic relations ...

Russia yesterday said that Sri Lanka's situation with regard to human rights does not in any way call for an external intervention and the Sri Lankan government is capable of solving its internal issues including human rights.

Russia yesterday said that Sri Lanka's situation with regard to human rights does not in any way call for an external intervention and the Sri Lankan government is capable of solving its internal issues including human rights.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has emphasized that Sri Lanka was prepared to face any challenge at the UN Human Rights Council Sessions. The Sri Lankan delegation which will participate in the sessions is due to leave for Geneva tomorrow.The Minister said that a delegation comprising Ministers Mahinda Samarasinghe, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and himself will ...

Doesn’t anyone read public opinion polls anymore? Don’t they make news anymore? I’m not referring to opinion polls run or commissioned by the government – any government—or its affiliates, but opinion polls in reputed non-state publications, especially those on vital topics. Surely no topic could be more topical than the international moves being made on ...

(Srilankamirror) - The Russian centre will hold an art exhibition to celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Russia. The exhibition will be held from 6:30 p.m. onwards on February 19th 2012 at Palm Lounge, Galle Face Hotel. The event will feature art exhibits of artist Valeriy Belenikin. The artist’s conception of his work is based upon truth and the myste...

(Srilankamirror) - Fifty five years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Russia will be celebrated with an art exhibition in Colombo. The Russian Cultural Centre will hold the event at Palm Lounge of Galle Face Hotel on February 19, from 6.30 pm onwards. The creations of master artiste Valery Belenikin will be on display at the exhibition.