Ranil leaves for India

First official overseas visit:

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will make his first official trip overseas today to the Indian capital New Delhi. His visit is made at a critical time, just three days before a much awaited report on Sri Lanka’s human rights record is to be taken up by the international rights community in Geneva.

The visiting premier is expected to formally request for India’s support in Geneva.

Among key issues to be discussed between Wickremesinghe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, are the devolution of power under the 13 Amendment, aspects of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the unresolved fishermen’s issue and Indian Ocean security.

It is believed India, which proposed a domestic mechanism as opposed to an international inquiry on the basis of such being a violation of sovereignty is likely to extend support to Sri Lanka’s wish to opt for a domestic inquiry, when the matter comes up before the United Nations Human Rights Council next week.