Lanka objects to Pakistan's Commonwealth suspension

President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed the strong objections of Sri Lanka at the decision taken to suspend Pakistan from membership of the Commonwealth at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, Uganda.

The President expressed Sri Lanka's position when President Yoweri Museveni, who is the Chairman of the CHOGM, sought the views of Heads of Governments on the decision taken by the relevant committee to suspend Pakistan from the Commonwealth in view of current development there. President Rajapaksa said that due consideration should be given to the changes that were now taking place in Pakistan before such an important decision is taken regarding a member of the Commonwealth.

President Rajapaksa's objections to the decision to suspend Pakistan was in keeping with a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Friday which reiterated an earlier decision that Sri Lanka should stand by Pakistan, vis-…-vis the move to suspend her from the Commonwealth, in view of the changes the country was going through at this time.

At a media briefing held at the venue of the CHOGM attended by the President of Uganda and Don Mckinnon, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, many questions were asked about the decision to suspend Pakistan and Sri Lanka's objection to it.

The Secretary General said that Sri Lanka had acted within her rights as a senior member of the Commonwealth.