Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is being quoted in the international media after saying he was “appalled” that Sri Lanka will be hosting the Commonwealth summit
On Friday he told the UK’s Guardian: “We’re appalled that Sri Lanka seems poised to host CHOGM and to be chair-in-residence of the Commonwealth for two years.”
In a Channel 4 interview he said: “We are appalled that Sri Lanka is going to be hosting this summit. The Canadian Prime Minister has been very clear, that unless we saw progress on accountability, on reconciliation, and some sort of change on the growing authoritarian trend we’ve seen in the country, that he wouldn’t attend the summit.”
More information:
The Guardian – Canadian government attacks Sri Lanka’s accountability record – here
Channel 4 report (includes video) – here
Ottawa Citizen – Commonwealth thrown into crisis over Sri Lankan summit – here
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.