Sri Lanka strongly condemns the attack on its embassy in Oslo, Norway (Sunday 12) by suspected LTTE supporters, causing extensive damage to the premises and property."We strongly condemn this attack. It is a shocking incident and we are disappointed with the Norwegian government for not taking proper measures to protect a diplomatic mission right in its national capital. Luckily, no official in the mission was injured but the damage to the property is extensive," Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said.He said the government was convinced that the LTTE was behind the attack. He said the mission was under threat from sympathizers of the Tigers for several weeks.As a host country, Norway has a legal obligation to protect the diplomatic missions. The negligence on the part of the Norwegian authorities in ensuring proper security to our mission can be gauged from the simple fact that the hooligans managed to reach it without any hindrance though it is located on the fifth floor," Dr. Kohona said.He expressed the hope that the Norwegian authorities, as obliged legally and under international conventions of diplomacy, would act to prevent any further acts of this nature, provide full protection to the Embassy, and required take stringent action against the criminals behind the attack to justice.
Monday, April 13, 2009
'We are disappointed with the Norwegian government' -SL Foreign Secretary Kohona
Sri Lanka strongly condemns the attack on its embassy in Oslo, Norway (Sunday 12) by suspected LTTE supporters, causing extensive damage to the premises and property."We strongly condemn this attack. It is a shocking incident and we are disappointed with the Norwegian government for not taking proper measures to protect a diplomatic mission right in its national capital. Luckily, no official in the mission was injured but the damage to the property is extensive," Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said.He said the government was convinced that the LTTE was behind the attack. He said the mission was under threat from sympathizers of the Tigers for several weeks.As a host country, Norway has a legal obligation to protect the diplomatic missions. The negligence on the part of the Norwegian authorities in ensuring proper security to our mission can be gauged from the simple fact that the hooligans managed to reach it without any hindrance though it is located on the fifth floor," Dr. Kohona said.He expressed the hope that the Norwegian authorities, as obliged legally and under international conventions of diplomacy, would act to prevent any further acts of this nature, provide full protection to the Embassy, and required take stringent action against the criminals behind the attack to justice.
