Dont boycott CHOGM - British Foreign Sec. tells media [November 07 2013]

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that if Britain boycott the CHOGM summit because Sri Lanka is hosting, it would be unfortunately turning our back on the Commonwealth itself.

Writing to the UK based The Telegraph, the secretary said “this is what diplomacy involves: talking to people whom you don’t agree with on every issue and being ready to have tough conversations. We will have more impact doing these things than we could by leaving our chair empty”.

As he further states, hosting the Commonwealth has put Sri Lanka under the international spotlight and has contributed to some improvements. “Since 2009, its government has taken positive steps on resettling displaced civilians, rebuilding infrastructure, removing land mines and reintegrating former Tamil combatants into society. It has held provincial elections in the north and announced a commission on the disappeared. We welcome these steps and want to see more, and that is what we will be calling for during our visit,” he added.

This meeting is about far more than just one country and it is about the future of the Commonwealth as a whole, he says. “We want it to be a dynamic and positive force in the world, promoting democracy and human rights and creating new opportunities for trade. This requires all its members to value the organisation, to participate fully in its meetings and to work closely together.”

“Attending the summit is not a betrayal of Britain’s values – it is the way we advance them. That is as true of our discussions with the Sri Lankan government as it is for the Commonwealth as a whole,” said Hague.