'Friendly nations' to move counter-resolution at UNHRC: Lanka

Sri Lanka today claimed that its "friendly nations" will move a counter-resolution to the one the US is to table at the UNHRC next month which may subject the country to an international war crimes probe.
"Our friendly nations will move a counter-resolution in support of Sri Lanka," Minister of Information Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters here.
He made the remarks in response to a query on a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution against Sri Lanka to be moved by the US in late March with the backing of Western and European Union nations.
Rambukwella did not name the friendly nations.

Sri Lanka banks on Muslim nations led by Pakistan and some African countries to vote against the US-sponsored resolution in the 47-member UNHRC.
India voted with the US against Sri Lanka in the two previous resolutions while Pakistan backed Sri Lanka.

This year's resolution, Sri Lanka fears would subject the island's government to an international war crimes probe on the final battle with the LTTE which ended in May 2009.
The international community has found fault with Sri Lanka for dragging its feet on the issue of national reconciliation with the Tamil minority and failure to set up a mechanism to address concerns over human rights abuses.

Sri Lanka has stressed that it needs time and space to address all concerns as the country had only just begun to emerge after a nearly three-decades long civil war.
Sri Lanka has come under increasing international pressure to probe allegations of excessive civilian deaths during the final battle against the LTTE.