Panel will visit Sri Lanka, UN Chief says

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that the Panel of Experts appointed by him will visit Sri Lanka but declined to give a definite date for the visit.

In responding to a media query after his briefing of the Security Council yesterday, Mr. Ban said the Panel is discussing the format and their role in Sri Lanka.

He said that there was an agreement with the Sri Lankan government on the Panel's intended visit.

"I can tell you that there was an agreement and that my Panel will visit Sri Lanka and they are still discussing about the format and their role in Sri Lanka."

"They will try to go anyway," the UN Chief asserted.

He will inform of their visit whenever, the Panel has made a decision, he said.

The Secretary-General appointed the three-member Panel of Experts to advise him on the issue of accountability with regard to alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka.

The Panel officially commenced its work on September 16, 2010. The January 15th deadline that has been set for the panel to submit its report was extended to middle of February.