Welcome to the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York

Home

President Rajapaksa undertakes State Visit to Nepal

Sunday, 01 March 2009 13:31

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be undertaking a State Visit to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal from 2nd – 4th March 2009 at the invitation of Rt. Hon’ble Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, President of Nepal.

President Rajapaksa will hold bilateral discussions with President, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Upendra Yadav and other political leaders of Nepal. President Rajapaksa is also scheduled to visit the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu.

Sunday, 01 March 2009 13:26
The SAARC Council of Ministers meeting in Colombo on 27-28 February renewed their commitment to strengthen comprehensive cooperation among SAARC Member States to combat and eliminate all forms and manifestations of terrorism, and affirmed the need to further the legal regime and institute pragmatic cooperation to address the issue effectively. The Ministers made this pledge in a Ministerial Declaration on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism at the conclusion of the 31st Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers, under its current Chair, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, Rohitha Bogollagama.
Read more...

SAARC Ministerial Declaration on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism

Saturday, 28 February 2009 18:12
We, the Foreign Ministers of Member States of SAARC, are deeply concerned about the continuing scourge of terrorism afflicting the region which has caused extensive social disharmony, loss of human life, destruction and damage to property.
Read more...

Terrorism & Global Financial meltdown: twin challenges before SAARC today – President

Saturday, 28 February 2009 14:44
“We need to re-double our efforts to combat this menace individually and collectively. We cannot shy away from taking firm and forceful action to combat terrorism, including internationally….. The instability caused by [the global financial] crisis can be considered quite similar to the threat caused by terrorism to our societies and to our region. The effects of synchronised slow-down in developed economies, can reach us sooner than later. And, as the crisis deepens in the developed world, it is likely that protectionist sentiments can spread and even take root.” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the SAARC Foreign Ministers Conference in Colombo today.
Read more...

President reiterates Government’s cautious approach to avoid civilian casualties

Thursday, 26 February 2009 13:58
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has reiterated his Government’s consistent stand in preventing collateral damage being caused to civilians in the final phase of the current military operations to defeat terrorism in the country. He made this observation during a courtesy call on him by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Upendra Yadav in Colombo today (26 February 2009). Responding to a query as to the expected time-frame for the present military conflict to end, the President explained that the security forces are adopting a cautious approach in pursuing their operations against the terrorists in order to avoid causing civilian casualties. The visiting Foreign Minister is in Sri Lanka to attend the 31st Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers which will be inaugurated tomorrow (27 February 2009) by President Rajapaksa.
Read more...

SAARC Foreign Ministers to meet in Colombo

Sunday, 22 February 2009 18:41
The SAARC Council of Ministers represented by the Foreign Ministers of SAARC Member States will meet in Colombo on 27-28 February for its Inter-Summit Session. The Council of Ministers meeting will be preceded by Meetings of the SAARC Programming Committee represented by Senior Officials and the SAARC Standing Committee represented by the Foreign Secretaries of respective SAARC Member States on 23-24 February and 25-26 February respectively.
Read more...

SAARC Foreign Ministers to give directions towards finding meaningful solution to common challenges

Saturday, 28 February 2009 20:19
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said, President Mahinda Rajapaksa stressed the need for the Foreign Ministers to be seized of current common challenges before us in South Asia and the duty of the Council to give directions towards finding meaningful solutions. Minister Bogollagama address the media today (28/02) on the out come of the SAARC 31st session of the Council of Ministers’ Meeting and Preceding Meetings in Colombo.
Read more...

SAARC Ministerial Statement on Global Economic Crisis

Saturday, 28 February 2009 16:52
The global economic crisis affects both developed and developing countries including in the SAARC region. Fundamental structural imbalances have perpetuated economic inequity and retarded growth. It is imperative to address this problem in a holistic manner and innovative measures are now essential to provide an impetus to reinvigorate normal economic activity.
Read more...

President to launch National Campaign against use of Children in Armed Conflict

Thursday, 26 February 2009 15:39

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today (26) launched the Sri Lankan National Campaign against the Recruitment of Children for Use in Armed Conflict.

President Rajapaksa said the whole world knows that the strategists of LTTE terror continue to hold Tamil civilians hostage for their cause and have increased the recruitment of children to carry arms for terror. He added "We launch this campaign after the failure of the United Nations to get any agreement from the LTTE that it would put an end to child conscription. We launch this long after the UN Special Representative on Children in Combat failed in his efforts to get the LTTE to release the child soldiers. "

Full text of the speech...