China supports Sri Lanka's stance on UN panel

The Chinese government today reiterated their support for Sri Lanka's stance against the Panel of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to investigate alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka during the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels.


China said Thursday that it believes Sri Lanka is capable of handling their own problems and urged the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and world community to help the Colombo stabilize its internal situation.

Responding to questions regarding the panel at a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Sri Lanka has appointed its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to probe the violations of human rights during the war.

"China believes that the Sri Lankan government and its people are capable of handling various issues," the spokesman said.

"We hope the international community including UN Secretary General can create a favourable external environment for the Sri Lankan government to stabilise its internal situation and accelerate economic development," Qin said.

Sri Lanka has strongly opposed the appointment of the three-member panel headed by Indonesia's former Attorney General Marzuki Darusman.

The government has said the panel is totally unnecessary and unwarranted as the government has instituted its own mechanism by appointing the 8-member Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to probe the alleged crimes.