Voicing concern over the arrest of ex-army commander Sarath Fonseka, UN chief Ban Ki-moon has asked President Mahinda Rajapaksa to respect due process of law in the case of the General and announced plans to send one of his top envoys to Sri Lanka for talks with the government.
Ban conveyed his concerns to President Rajapaksa during a telephonic conversation last night.
According to a spokesperson of the UN Secretary General, Ban urged the President to respect due process of law regarding the case of the former army chief and "runner-up" in January 26 presidential elections.
He called on the Sri Lankan government to guarantee personal safety of Fonseka, who was arrested on Monday for alleged "military offences."
The UN chief also announced plans to dispatch his top political official to the island nation for dialogue, the UN News Centre said in New York.
Ban said he would send Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs B Lynn Pascoe to Colombo for talks soon.
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