By Roland Buerk BBC News, Colombo

	UN envoy has 'added weight' to those who discredit the Govt., says PM

The under-secretary General Sir John Holmes said the island was the worst in the world for murders of humanitarian workers.

Sri Lanka's government hoped the visit of the under-secretary General would help build relations with the United Nations after criticism from international organisations rejected of the country's human rights record.

Human rights record

But instead a row has blown up over remarks Sir John Holmes made in interviews with the media.

The top UN official in charge of aid told the BBC that in Sri Lanka the murders of humanitarian workers were worse than anywhere else in the world.

	UN envoy highly criticised Sri Lanka's human rights record

He made a similar statement to another media organisation.

In parliament the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said it could call into question the ability of the United Nations to be impartial and he added that Sri John had contributed to those who seek to discredit the government.

Questions over UN 'impartiality'

During his visit to the island the under-secretary General attended a ceremony to mark one year since seventeen workers from the French charity, Action Against Hunger, were shot dead.

Nordic ceasefire monitors blamed the military for the execution-style killings. The government denied it.

Inquiries are underway but no one has been brought to justice.