Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Switzerland yesterday said that it never intended to tarnish the image of the Sri Lankan Government and regretted that recent developments had led to the questioning of Sri Lanka’s commitment to due process.

At no point during this time did Switzerland have the intention of tarnishing the image of the government of Sri Lanka. The Embassy regrets that these developments have led to the Sri Lankan authorities commitment to due process being called into question and reaffirms that Switzerland, like Sri Lanka, is committed to upholding good governance and the rule of law,” the Embassy said in a Diplomatic Note to the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka.

The Note communicated on December 30 was simultaneously released by the Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Foreign Relations today.

The Diplomatic Note read, The Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and has the honour to state the following:

Switzerland and Sri Lanka have maintained excellent relations for decades, and have engaged in substantial cooperation in a variety of fields, to the benefit of both countries and their populations. Both countries value these relations greatly.

In the last few weeks, this relationship was marred by misunderstandings surrounding an incident involving a local staff member of the Embassy, who was subsequently taken into custody by the Sri Lankan authorities.

In this context, uncorroborated facts made it into the public domain, putting an unnecessary strain on the otherwise cordial relationship between the two countries.

At no point during this time did Switzerland have the intention of tarnishing the image of the government of Sri Lanka.

The Embassy regrets that these developments have led to the Sri Lankan authorities commitment to due process being called into question and reaffirms that Switzerland, like Sri Lanka, is committed to upholding good governance and the rule of law.

The Embassy hopes for a swift return to an environment conducive to resuming the positive cooperation between Switzerland and Sri Lanka.

Recognizing that local staff is subject to local laws, the Embassy is convinced that both sides will remain attentive to the working conditions and the well-being of all staff of diplomatic missions.

Switzerland recalls that it is the responsibility of any government to protect the diplomatic missions of other states on its territory.

Attaching great importance to its relationship with Sri Lanka, committed to maintaining and to further strengthening these relations in a constructive manner, and convinced that both countries will together continue to build relations which are based on mutual respect, the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka the assurances of its highest consideration.”