Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand will still go to a Commonwealth conference in Sri Lanka despite concerns about the country’s human rights record.
Britain’s Prime Minister is facing pressure to stay away but Mr Key says the best way to make a point is to do it in person.
Mr Key says Sri Lanka’s human rights record won’t stop New Zealand going to CHOGM.
“This is a Commonwealth event that happens to be hosted in Sri Lanka. If we took the view that we didn’t go to countries because we don’t like the human rights record or we don’t like somebody else, there are many APECs and East Asian Summits and other things that we may not go to,” he says.
Mr Key says Sri Lanka’s human rights record will be brought up but the best way to do that is by going to CHOGM, not staying away. - 3news
