(June 05, Paris, Sri Lanka Guardian) I write to emphatically refute a reference to me in the current issue of the Sunday Times, Colombo (June 5th).
A report entitled ‘Sri Lanka under attack in Geneva’ by the Political Editor of the Sunday Times says:
“Sri Lanka's delegation in Geneva - comprising Ministers Mahinda Samarasinghe, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Attorney General Mohan Peiris -- was joined by a fourth player this week. Its mission was to lobby against the possible adoption of a resolution calling for an international investigation at the UN Human Rights Council. He is Dayan Jayatilleke, Sri Lanka's current Ambassador to France and a former envoy to the UN in Geneva. The conduct of Sri Lanka's new home grown diplomacy in Geneva has fallen on the Minister of Plantation Industries who should worry about doubling the output of crops, the Attorney General who has to worry over prosecutions and an envoy to France whose job is to improve relations between Paris and Colombo. The trio have to defend the Mahinda Rajapaksa government and Sri Lanka.”
This is absolutely without foundation in fact, i.e. it is a total falsehood. I have not joined Sri Lanka’s delegation in Geneva as a “fourth player” or in any other capacity, have not been requested to, and have no intention whatsoever of doing so.
Utterly tendentious reporting in a respected newspaper – by its Political Editor, no less--could have been avoided if the basic journalistic practice of checking facts (for instance by placing a telephone call to me, Sri Lanka’s Permanent mission in Geneva or the Ministry of External Affairs) had been adhered to.
At the time that I was supposed to have joined the Sri Lankan team in Geneva, I was presenting my credentials as Ambassador to Portugal, to His Excellency Prof Anibal Cavaco Silva, having a chat with the Portuguese Foreign Minister and engaging in discussions with senior officials and Directors General of the Foreign Ministry of Portugal.
Dr Dayan Jayatilleka
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to France,
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Portugal,
Permanent delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO
A report entitled ‘Sri Lanka under attack in Geneva’ by the Political Editor of the Sunday Times says:
This is absolutely without foundation in fact, i.e. it is a total falsehood. I have not joined Sri Lanka’s delegation in Geneva as a “fourth player” or in any other capacity, have not been requested to, and have no intention whatsoever of doing so.
Utterly tendentious reporting in a respected newspaper – by its Political Editor, no less--could have been avoided if the basic journalistic practice of checking facts (for instance by placing a telephone call to me, Sri Lanka’s Permanent mission in Geneva or the Ministry of External Affairs) had been adhered to.
At the time that I was supposed to have joined the Sri Lankan team in Geneva, I was presenting my credentials as Ambassador to Portugal, to His Excellency Prof Anibal Cavaco Silva, having a chat with the Portuguese Foreign Minister and engaging in discussions with senior officials and Directors General of the Foreign Ministry of Portugal.
Dr Dayan Jayatilleka
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to France,
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Portugal,
Permanent delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO
 I write to emphatically refute a reference to me in the current issue of the Sunday Times, Colombo (Ju...){kind=link}
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