Sri Lankan government minister calls for change in ties with India

A Sri Lankan government ally on Friday called for a change in Sri Lanka's foreign policy toward India after the Indians voted against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).Champika Ranawaka, Sri Lankan government minister and leader of the Jatika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party, said that the Sri Lankan government should look at strengthening economic ties with South American, African, and East Asian countries.He also said that Sri Lanka should completely severe trading and tourism ties with Tamil Nadu in south India."By acting against Sri Lanka, India including Tamil Nadu will end up learning a harsh lesson. Sri Lanka should focus on a non Indian centric foreign policy," he said.Sri Lanka and India enjoy strong diplomatic ties with the Sri Lankan government often keeping the Indian government updated on virtually every decision-taking during and after the war against Tamil Tiger rebels.Despite the strong relations, Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also expressed on Friday his deep disappointment with the Indian government's position articulated by its envoy to the UNHRC, Dilip Sinha.Responding to a statement attributed to Sinha that Sri Lanka should address accountability issues to the satisfaction of the international community, the defense secretary told local media that those wanting Sri Lanka to satisfy the global community should realize that they were adopting double-standards.