Diplomatic slap on Mahinda Rajapakse's face
Unhappy with the status of the peace process and the human rights situation in the country, the European Union nations sent a strong message to the government on Monday by sending low-level representation to the Development Forum in Galle on Monday.

Diplomatic sources said the intention to send low-level representation was made to indicate to the government the EU was not happy with the direction the government was heading with regard to the peace process and on the human rights front.

Following this decision, there was no EU representative joining President Mahinda Rajapakse at the head table on Monday with the member countries sending either their deputy heads of mission or economic counselors for the Development Forum.

The US was however represented by Ambassador Robert Blake who urged the government to forge ahead with the peace process and ruled out a military solution to the ethnic conflict.

World Bank Vice President for the South Asian Region, Praful Patel also said for Sri Lanka to achieve its full potential there should be an end to the conflict.

Informed sources at the end of Monday’s session said Investment Promotion Minister Sarath Amunugama had told a top World Bank representative from the Colombo office that the government was disheartened at some of the comments made at the forum.

Courtesy: TheMorningLeader, Sri Lanka