The selection of Shavendra Silva, Sri Lanka’s deputy permanent representative,who accused of war crimes and torture to an advisory group on UN peacekeeping operations was the subject of a question at the UN’s noon briefing on Friday.

Question: Yeah, I wanted to ask you, the Sri Lankan Government is, I call it bragging, but has, is announcing that Shavendra Silva, their deputy PR whose battalion is listed in the Panel of Experts report about crimes in Sri Lanka, has been, quote, “selected” to be on this Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations.

I wanted to know, one, if that is true of the status, I mean, if it has actually been confirmed? And two, if the Secretary-General has any ability to block or speak about such a selection, given that some people say to put a person accused of war crimes on an advisory group about peacekeeping would send the wrong messages?

Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: Well, as I understand it, Major General Shavendra Silva was selected by the Group of Asian States as their representative. He was not selected by the Secretary-General.