The Sri Lankan government said it would study the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff "carefully" and would continue to engage with him. 

"We will study his statement carefully, and continue to engage with him and his mandate, as well as other experts and local stakeholders in charting the way forward on all pillars of transitional justice, and on progressing on the path of reconciliation that is essential for sustainable peace and economic progress of the country," the Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam told Ceylon Today. 

Responding to Mr Greiff's criticism of the government's slow progress on transitional justice measures, Mr Kariyawasam said, "there are delays due to several reasons including administrative reasons, but the Government remains committed to the process."

"It is the first time that Sri Lanka has undertaken such a comprehensive and consultative process on many fronts, including constitutional reforms. There are delays due to several reasons including administrative reasons, but the Government remains committed, as I said before, to taking the steps required to achieving a peaceful, reconciled, stable and prosperous Sri Lanka for all," he noted.

"When the OMP begins its work, we will depend on the completion of the nomination process by the Constitutional Council, and the appointment of the Commissioners. Thereafter, the Commissioners who are independent like those on the Human Rights and Police Commissions for example, would, in turn... have to select and appoint officials. Once the Commissioners are appointed, you could directly engage with them to check on expected timelines," he was quoted as saying.