Canada regrets Sri Lanka terminating truce agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 January 2008, 21:08 GMT]
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Maxime Bernier, in a press release issued today, regretted Sri Lanka's decision to withdraw from the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), and expressed concern about the "escalating violence on civilians, humanitarian workers and human rights defenders," and that Sri Lanka's action will make "search for a more durable solution more difficult."

Full text of the press release follows:

STATEMENT ON THE POSSIBLE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN SRI LANKA

The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement following developments in Sri Lanka:

“Canada deeply regrets the decision of the Government of Sri Lanka to withdraw from the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement.

“Withdrawal from this important agreement will make the search for a durable political solution more difficult, and only increases the likelihood that the incidents of violence being carried out by both sides will increase.

“We remain deeply concerned about the impact of the escalating violence on civilians, humanitarian workers and human rights defenders. Violence will not produce solutions, it will only bring more tragedy to the people of Sri Lanka.

“We call on all parties to respect human rights and to work urgently toward political solutions that will bring peace to Sri Lanka.”

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Canada:

STATEMENT ON THE POSSIBLE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN SRI LANKA