Respect UN Charter provisions against threats to political independence of member states – President
President Mahinda Rajapaksa reminded the world of the provisions in the United Nations Charter of calling on all nations to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state in their international relations.
He said that nothing contained in the present Charter shall authroize the UN to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter.
President Rajapaksa said this while addressing the nation on the 65th Independence anniversary celebrations held at the Eastern post city of Trincomalee today.
President stressed that Sri Lanka is a country that always respects the Charter of the UN and that all member countries, whether powerful or weak, should respect its Charter.
Urging the importance of unity among all people he said that as much as racism, religious differences too can be a cause for the destruction of a country.
Those who try to provoke religious rivalry in the country do not serve their religion, but serve the interests of separatism in the country. We cannot leave room for what could not be achieved through terrorism to be gained by these means, he said.
The President also said not only the government but the opposition too has the responsibility to safeguard the freedom we have won.
Protecting the country and building reconciliation is not support extended to the government or the opposition but doing one’s duty by the land of one’s birth, he said.
04th February 2013