Image: Minister Samaraweera meets Minister for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alok Sharma.
Making his statement at the high level segment of the on going 34th session of the Human Rights Council British Minister for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alok Sharma, welcomed the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister’s constructive engagement witht he council and said that HRC must give Sri Lanka time to fully implement the October 2015 resolution and post-conflict measures required to embed stability, reconciliation and justice.
Later he tweeted:
Discussed the need to embed stability, reconciliation & justice in #SriLanka with Foreign Minister @MangalaLK @UN_HRC pic.twitter.com/gz1URmNzX4 — Alok Sharma MP (@AlokSharma_RDG) February 28, 2017 “>
In his statement delivered by Minister Alok Sharma on 28 February 2017 Alok sharama said that “It is a privilege to be the first British Minister to address the Council since the United Kingdom’s re-election. To serve on the UN Human Rights Council is a great responsibility.
I want to see the UN and its States deliver on our shared obligation to promote and strengthen human rights. We will work in partnership with all those who want to make positive reforms. And we stand ready to call out those responsible for the worst violations and abuses of human rights. To leave no state, no people, “no-one behind”.!
The High Commissioner has eloquently identified risks to the human rights system. It is right that we – both states and civil society – must all work tirelessly to uphold universal values. Now is not the time for us to be defensive, but rather to make the positive case for human rights. To celebrate how much we have achieved, and give hope to those whose rights are under threat.”
The human rights system is only under threat if states choose to weaken it. The UK is more resolved than ever to support the work of this Council. Because the rights and freedoms we enjoy are universal rights to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.”