Sri Lanka calls up India; asks Krishna to rethink war crimes resolution stand

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Sri Lanka's foreign minister G.L Peiris today called up S.M. Krishna and asked India to reconsider its stand on the US-backed war crimes resolution.

On Monday, it was reported that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was 'inclined to' vote in favour of the resolution at the UN.

Responding to strong concerns of political parties, Singh had told the Lok Sabha that India was yet to receive the final text of the draft resolution moved at the UN Human Rights Council.

"We are inclined to vote in favour of the resolution if the resolution will cover our objectives namely the achievement of a future for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that is based on equality, dignity, justice and self respect," he said while replying to the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to the joint sitting of Parliament.

An Indian news channel also quoted Sri Lankan media as saying the country was delivered a 'body blow' after Manmohan Singh's decision.

Lankan paper, The Island Daily, wrote in an editorial that 'it was only the other day that the Indian government made it very clear that it was opposed to the any country specific resolution at the UNHRC'.

"We thought India had taken a principled stand on the issue".