At a media briefing at his Battaramulla party head office, Weerawansa said the US had promised protection for Sudan, but after Sudan became divided, the US brought war crimes charges against the country.

Russia or China is not bound at the UN Security Council to accept a decision after an international investigation against Sri Lanka, but they will have to accept recommendations of an internal probe carried out in accordance with international standards, he said.

It will become easy for the US to take the former president and 42 other war heroes before an international criminal court, according to Weerawansa.

It is correct, as Ranil Wickremesinghe says, that military officers cannot be taken before an ICC as Sri Lanka is not a signatory to the Rome Charter.

But, China and Russia cannot oppose when the ruling of an internal investigation is taken before the UNSC and if the US decides to call for the setting up of an international criminal court for Sri Lanka, as it had done for Yugoslavia, the NFF leader said.