Lords To Debate Lanka Again

The House of Lords is to have a short debate on Sri Lanka next month, the second such debate to take place within a span of one month.

The main focus of the debate scheduled for December 11 will be on bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka.

Last week the British House of Lords discussed Sri Lanka, including the lifting of EU sanctions on the LTTE and the Presidential elections.

In response to a question, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, a cabinet spokesman at the House of Lords, said that the British Government and others are talking about the best way in which to make sure that there is effective monitoring of the elections.

Lord Bach had then spoken about the upcoming Presidential elections and asked if the history of such elections in the past and reports last  weekend suggesting that common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena’s first broadcast has been blocked and his bodyguards removed, if the British Government believe there are prospects for a free, fair and inclusive election.

In response Lord Wallace of Saltaire said the British Government and others are talking about the best way in which to make sure that there is effective monitoring of the elections and will be raising such issues with the Sri Lankan Government.