Sri Lanka urges UN to work towards peaceful resolution on Venezuela

Colombo, Jan 6 (PTI) Sri Lanka has urged UN to work towards a peaceful resolution taking into consideration the safety, well-being and the sovereign rights of the Venezuelan people following a US military raid.

The US carried out the military assault on the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday after consistently accusing Maduro of being involved in drug trafficking. Maduro had stridently denied the charges.

The US troops have taken Maduro and his wife to New York. Venezuela declared a national emergency after the US action.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Monday, it said” it is important that the United Nations and its organs such as the UN Security Council be seized of the matter and work towards a peaceful resolution taking into consideration the safety, well-being and the sovereign rights of the Venezuelan people”.

It added that Sri Lanka emphasises the need to respect principles of international law and the UN Charter, such as the prohibition of the use of force, non-intervention, peaceful settlement of international disputes and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

The government statement followed a reaction issued earlier by the ruling NPP’s dominant block the JVP.

The party with a history of backing Venezuelan regimes of Hugo Chavez and Maduro said they strongly condemn the US action to invade Venezuela a sovereign nation to abduct a president elected by the people and his wife through a military intervention.

The JVP’s breakaway hardline Frontline Socialist Party activists gathered opposite the US embassy here yesterday to lead a demonstration in solidarity with Maduro.

A small group of FSP activists chanted anti US slogans in ‘hands off Venezuela’ protest. PTI CORR AMS