By Xinhua –

A parliamentary delegation from the European Union (EU) began a week-long visit to Sri Lanka on Monday to assess the post war developments in the country.

Jean Lambert, who heads the EU Parliament delegation for relations with South Asia, met the country’s External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris and other officials and discussed political developments in the country, the External Affairs Ministry said.

A spokesperson at the EU office in Colombo told Xinhua that the delegation will visit the eastern province this week and take stock of some of the EU assisted projects.

They will also have talks with officials in the eastern province before heading back to Colombo for more discussions with government and opposition politicians, the spokesperson said.

The European Parliamentary delegation visited Sri Lanka last year and submitted a report to the EU parliament regarding the visit.

The report called for constructive and principled engagement between the EU and Sri Lanka despite disagreements in the past.

EU members supported a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in March this year. Sri Lanka told the European Parliament last week the resolution was unnecessary and unwarranted and could negatively impact the ongoing reconciliation process.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha said that moves on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC underlines the continuing prejudice against Sri Lanka prevalent among sections of the international community.