SL Foreign Ministry silences diplomats

The Foreign Ministry has issued a stern warning to all its foreign missions abroad ordering them to obtain prior permission from Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona before issuing public statements.

The circular, issued late February under Kohona’s signature, banned all Sri Lankan missions abroad, including heads of missions, from making any public statements without prior permission from the Foreign Secretary.

The circular was issued after Sri Lanka’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Dayan Jayatilleke, launched a scathing attack against British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, which was also published in the official government news website.

Subsequent to Jayatilleke’s statement, Sri Lankan High Commissioner Kshenuka Senewiratne had in a note to Colombo expressed her concern over the statement and also referred to the embarrassment she had to face following Jayatilleke’s attack against the top British official.

“The statement has caused immense embarrassment to Sri Lanka,” a Foreign Ministry official said.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama is also reported to have met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed the statement made by Jayatilleke.