Don't turn Commonwealth into 'punitive, judgmental' body: Sri Lanka

Khurshid and British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has planned a visit to the Northern Jaffna province and has some tough questions on human rights issues to put to Rajapaksa, were present on the dais to hear him at the opening ceremony.



Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary secretary and representative of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Arun Bullel, foreign minister of Mauritius were also present.

Both Harper and Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Chandra Ramgoolam, who will be hosting the next summit in his country, decided to boycott the summit citing the poor human rights record of Sri Lanka.