A delegation of Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA today met British Foreign Secretary William Hague who said the protection of minority and human rights was paramount in achieving long-lasting peace in the country.
The meeting came ahead of Prime Minister David Cameron's visit to the Northern Province where the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has formed a government.
Cameron would become the first head of state since the Sri Lanka's independence to visit Jaffna, the cultural capital of the Tamils.
British officials said Hague, during the meeting, stressed his support for a peaceful and stable Sri Lanka and noted that the protection of minority and human rights for all was paramount in achieving long-lasting peace.
Hague said the Northern Province polls in which the TNA won a large majority to form a northern provincial council was an important step towards reconciliation and finding a lasting political settlement after three decades of violent conflict.
"An important part of my purpose of coming to Sri Lanka was to meet members of the Tamil community as well as those working across Sri Lanka to promote human rights, reconciliation and accountability for past crimes," Hague said.
"I am pleased that the Prime Minister is visiting the north of Sri Lanka to see for himself the work that needs to be done to address the legacy of the conflict," he said.
"I am calling on the Sri Lankan government to conduct a transparent and independent investigation into alleged war crimes, improve Sri Lanka's human rights record and for both the government and the TNA to work constructively together towards a political settlement that delivers meaningful devolution for the North of the country," the British Foreign Secretary said.
The TNA delegation that met Hague included senior leaders R Sampanthan, M A Sumanthiran, Suresh Premachandran, Mavai Sendhiraja and Selvam Adaikkalanathan.
The British engagement with the Tamils is taking place on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being hosted by Sri Lanka.
Britain's Prince Charles is due to open the summit tomorrow.
