lkdood
11-27-2009, 07:19 PM
The Canadian government has followed Britain in announcing it will oppose Sri Lanka's bid to host the next summit of 53 Commonwealth countries.
The British government has already said it would do so because of the country's handling of a brutal and bloody war with Tamil Tiger insurgents, which left 7,000 civilians dead and 150,000 displaced.
Canada did not immediately elaborate on its decision, with Prime Minister's Office spokesman Dimitri Soudas saying merely that “Canada will not be supporting Sri Lanka as the next host of the Commonwealth summit.”
Sri Lanka had announced at the end of the last meeting of Commonwealth countries that it wanted to host the 2011 summit.
The 60-year-old Commonwealth represents countries with about two billion population.
The group aims, among other things, to promote democracy and human rights among its member states.
theglobeandmail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-wont-support-sri-lankan-bid/article1379837/)
The British government has already said it would do so because of the country's handling of a brutal and bloody war with Tamil Tiger insurgents, which left 7,000 civilians dead and 150,000 displaced.
Canada did not immediately elaborate on its decision, with Prime Minister's Office spokesman Dimitri Soudas saying merely that “Canada will not be supporting Sri Lanka as the next host of the Commonwealth summit.”
Sri Lanka had announced at the end of the last meeting of Commonwealth countries that it wanted to host the 2011 summit.
The 60-year-old Commonwealth represents countries with about two billion population.
The group aims, among other things, to promote democracy and human rights among its member states.
theglobeandmail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-wont-support-sri-lankan-bid/article1379837/)