VIDEO: Defeat of motion a clear sign of friendship between SL and AUS
September 23, 2011 12:49 pm
(EXCLUSIVE) The fact that the Australian Government along with the Opposition unanimously voted in the Senate to defeat the motion to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth was a clear sign of the close friendship between the two countries, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia, Thisara Samarasinghe told Ada Derana.
A Senator of the Green Party of Australia called a meeting on September 20 regarding the situation in Sri Lanka and decided to present a motion to the Senate in order to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth until the war crime allegations were addressed.
“The Convener invited people of her choice and most of them have been critical with baseless allegations against Sri Lanka. There was no opportunity for right-minded Sri Lankans or Australians to participate in this closed-door discussion”, he stated.
He added that the Australian government’s decision to defeat the motion was a significant sign of the deeply rooted friendship between the two nations especially at a time with so many parties with vested interests attempting to derail Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process.