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Thursday, 13 October 2011 12:25 |
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News release and full text of the statement made by Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinghe at the screening of "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" at the European Parliament on 12th October 2011. Ambassador Aryasinha says “human rights groups in indecent hurry to vilify Sri Lanka ahead of the release of the LLRC report” Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha has said the timing of the screening of the film ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ at the European Parliament today ( 12 October 2011) was particularly sinister, coming on the eve of the presentation of the LLRC Report due next month. The Ambassador said, “it would appear that Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group who sponsored the screening, are intent on pre-judging and discrediting the LLRC report even before it is released”. He added that “this indecent hurry to host such events and to call for international inquiries, is probably due to their fear that once the LLRC report comes out, they will be short of one further excuse, with which to continue their obsessive attack on the Government of Sri Lanka”. |
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Wednesday, 12 October 2011 16:46 |
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Statement by Ambassador H.E. Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Sixth Committee
66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Agenda Item 84 :
The Scope and Application of the Principle of
Universal Jurisdiction 12th October, 2011 My delegation aligns itself with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement by Iran. We thank the Secretary-General for the reports A/66/93 and its Add.1 and A/C/6/66/WG.3/INF.1 and INF 2. |
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Wednesday, 05 October 2011 17:20 |
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Statement by Ambassador H.E. Dr. Palitha Kohona,
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Second Committee General Debate
5th October, 2011 Mr. Chairman, Allow me to congratulate you and the other member of the Bureau on your election. I take this opportunity to express my full confidence in your leadership. My delegation associates itself with the statement made by the distinguished representative of Argentina on behalf of the G-77 & China. With only four years left to achieve the MDG’s, the ability of many developing countries to realize them is being severely tested in these challenging times. While some countries are making progress with the MDGs, many others are facing the daunting task of achieving minimum progress, as the negative impacts of the global financial crisis continue to impact on economies. Developing countries, including Sri Lanka, are vulnerable in this volatile economic environment, particularly with the other challenges posed by soaring food and commodity prices, instability in financial markets, unpredictable fuel prices and the negative impacts of climate change. |
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Tuesday, 04 October 2011 17:10 |
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Statement by Ambassador H.E. Dr. Palitha Kohona,
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Agenda Item (a) & (b)
Third Committee General Debate Social Development
4 October, 2011 “The development policy framework of Sri Lanka has been premised on a set of higher level multiple goals focusing on economic growth, redistributive justice, reduction of absolute poverty, employment generation, balanced regional development and increased environmental sustainability. These policies have enabled Sri Lanka to deliver desirable human development outcomes in a consistent manner despite the many challenges.” |
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Monday, 03 October 2011 11:29 |
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Note on the Diplomatic Briefing by Hon M/EA on 29th September 2011
at the Ministry of External Affairs 1. Hon. M/EA briefed the diplomatic corps on the developments in New York during the H.E the President’s visit for the 66th session of the UNGA and the ongoing HRC session In Geneva. 2. Hon. Minister stated that H.E the President and himself had wide ranging interaction in New York with 32 delegations. In addition he participated at the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ meeting and presided over the G 15 Ministerial meetings with Hon. Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Monitoring Member of Parliament for External Affairs having attended the SAARC informal ministerial meeting. H.E the President was also interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and Economist, while Hon M/EA interacted with the Associated Press. The Hon. M/EA also referred to the bilateral meeting he had in Geneva with the President of the Human Rights Council and the engagements with members of the Human Rights Council. 3. Hon. M/EA observed that the New York events was overshadowed on learning that the report of the Panel of |
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Wednesday, 12 October 2011 16:51 |
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Statement by Ambassador H.E. Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Third Committee
66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Agenda Item 28 :
Advancement of Women
12th October, 2011 Madam Chair, My delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his reports and recommendations on this agenda item. My delegation also commends the reports of UN-Women, the CEDAW Committee and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. The delegation of Sri Lanka associates itself with the statement made by Argentina on behalf of the G77 and China. |
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Wednesday, 12 October 2011 09:05 |
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The World from a Sri Lankan Perspective -
Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona Please click here to read |
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Wednesday, 05 October 2011 17:08 |
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Sri Lanka chairs UNESCAP Commission The Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, H.E. Dr. Palitha Kohona, chaired a diplomatic briefing by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in New York today. Senior diplomats of the 53 member States representing the ESCAP Member States were present at this vital briefing to share views on “Shared Prosperity, equity and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”.
Underlining the increasing share of global trade, foreign investment and population of Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Kohona highlighted the role of UNESCAP in further catalyzing economic growth, coordination and assistance in the region. He emphasized that an interactive dialogue amongst Member States would enable UNESCAP members to develop a more coordinated voice so that the region could play a more central role in global issues.
UNESCAPS’s Executive Secretary Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, provided a comprehensive overview of the commission’s current work. UNESCAP, which is collocated with 27 of the 30 UN agencies within the region inter alia, promotes “Green Growth” in countries of the region, provides technical assistance to promote sustainable development, and encourages measures to mitigate the effects of climate change. She also unveiled a recent initiative by UNESCAP to establish a multi-hazard trust fund for the region, a practical project of importance for post-tsunami Asia.   Complete Statement by Dr. Kohona
Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Excellencies,
I am very happy to welcome the representatives of UNESCAP Members States to this special briefing by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP. We are here to be briefed on the theme of “Shared prosperity, Equity and Sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific” and UNESCAP’s role in promoting this agenda. With global imbalances persisting and disparities increasing within countries and regions, against the background of Asia’s increasing economic role in the world, this is an important theme, notably on the road to Rio+20. |
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Tuesday, 04 October 2011 16:12 |
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Statement by Ambassador H.E. Dr. Palitha Kohona,
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Sixth Committee of the
United Nations General Assembly 66th Session Agenda Item 109 - Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism
3-4 October, 2011 “The threat posed by well financed and organized groups and individuals, directly or indirectly associated with terror groups and based thousand of miles apart, cannot be discounted easily. Well-meaning individuals and groups, including policy makers and media personnel, may inadvertently become pawns of the devious agendas of terrorists and facilitate the realization of terrorist goals and influence. We appeal to all well meaning persons to maintain vigilance, and not to create opportunities, even inadvertently, for terrorists and their sympathizers, to achieve through domestic and international mechanisms, many of which may appear to be perfectly legitimate, what they were unable to achieve through bullets, suicide bombs and the destruction of innocent lives. The encouragement of one group, in whatever form, will send a clear message to the others to adjust their tactics.” |
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Tuesday, 27 September 2011 10:08 |
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PRESS RELEASE
It has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of External Affairs that an attempt has been made by an agent to deliver summons issued by a New York Court on the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka’s Mission to the United Nations in New York Major General Shavendra Silva. The Ministry is of the view that Ambassador Shavendra Silva as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York enjoys diplomatic immunities and privileges accorded under the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations as well as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Therefore, Ambassador Shavendra Silva is protected by the relevant international treaties on diplomatic relations, immunities and privileges and accepted diplomatic practices. Consequently, it would be the responsibility of the host nation and the United Nations to ensure that Ambassador Shavendra Silva’s ability to conduct his duties as a diplomat of Sri Lanka is not hindered in any way by such disruptive activities. The Ministry of External Affairs will take all necessary measures to ensure that Ambassador Shavendra Silva’s ability to conduct his duties as a diplomat of the Government of Sri Lanka is protected. President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon while attending the 66th United Nations General Assembly Sessions in New York brought this issue to the notice of the Secretary General and requested him to extend all possible facilities and protection under the UN mandate to Ambassador Shavendra Silva to enable him to discharge his diplomatic duties efficiently and effectively during his tenure of office in New York. Ministry of External Affairs Colombo. 27th September, 2011 Ministry of External Affairs Republic Building, Colombo-01. Fax: 0094-11-2446091 0094-11-2333450 e-mail:
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