David Cameron has said he expects "difficulties" when he visits northern Sri Lanka to meet the Tamil minority.
The Tamils' treatment at the end of the country's civil war dominated the run-up to the Commonwealth summit, which opened in the capital Colobo earlier.
Mr Cameron has rejected calls to boycott the meeting but said there should be a proper investigation into alleged Sri Lankan war crimes.
Human rights groups have urged the PM to keep the focus on human rights.
Mr Cameron is set to become the first international leader to visit northern Sri Lanka since the island state gained independence in 1948.
"I'm sure there will be difficulties," he said of the trip.
'An opportunity'The Sri Lankan government has reacted angrily to suggestions the prime minister will press President Mahinda Rajapaksa over human rights during the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm).
One minister said earlier this week he had no right to raise the issue.
The UN estimates some 40,000 people were killed as the 26-year war with the Tamils came to an end in 2009.
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Prime Minister David Cameron speaking on Thursday
President Rajapaksa rejects accusations of rape, executions and indiscriminate shelling, but told journalists on Thursday: "People were getting killed for 30 years, at least after 2009 we have stopped it."
But Mr Cameron insisted the Sri Lankan president had "an opportunity".
The prime ministers of Canada, India and Mauritius are staying away from the summit in protest over the allegations.
But the UK administration argues it is better to be there to highlight the issue and put pressure on the Sri Lankans.
David Mepham, UK director of campaign group Human Rights Watch, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "One of the crucial things he needs to do is press for some sort of international inquiry into what happened in 2009.
"The Sri Lankans have got their own domestic process, but frankly it's fatally flawed and it's not going to deliver any real justice to the people who were killed. There needs to be an international mechanism.
"The other thing, which is equally important, is that there needs to be real pressure on the ongoing human rights issues. This isn't just a problem of the past."
'Playing politics'The Labour Party said Mr Cameron should join other leaders in avoiding the event.
End Quote Prince CharlesEach one of us is here because of the hope and trust we place in the Commonwealth to bring that 'touch of healing' to our troubles and deliver the very best future for our people"
But the prime minister dismissed the calls as "rank hypocrisy", pointing out it was his predecessor Gordon Brown who originally agreed the summit venue in 2009.
Mr Cameron told the BBC that Labour was "playing politics" and criticised its "absolutely extraordinary behaviour".
Speaking from the summit, Foreign Secretary William Hague told Today: "There's a great deal of evidence about war crimes, and that is why we have called for an independent, thorough, credible investigation.
"There should be an investigation - if there isn't, then we will be in favour of an international investigation.
"But it's also important to be able to work with people in this country of all persuasions and backgrounds. We do that with people from all walks of life in Sri Lanka and they welcome that."
Mr Cameron is due to fly to the regional capital of the Tamil-dominated north after a face-to-face meeting with President Rajapaksa.
The Prince of Wales, who celebrated his 65th birthday on Thursday, is representing the Queen at the biennial event which he opened earlier.
Prince Charles told the summit: "Each one of us is here because of the hope and trust we place in the Commonwealth to bring that 'touch of healing' to our troubles and deliver the very best future for our people."
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