The 9th Meeting of States Parties (MSP) to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) concluded its deliberations in Geneva on 4 September 2019 under the Presidency of Sri Lanka. States parties, signatories, observer states and international and civil society organizations participated in the three-day meeting which convened its first session on 2 September 2019.
The MSP, chaired by Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, marked the culmination of a year-long process of oversight and review of the implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions and of guidance and advocacy for the universalization of the Convention and its norms, and the prohibition of use, production, stockpile and transfer of cluster munitions. Sri Lanka’s election to the Presidency of the 9th MSP had been facilitated by the wide recognition among the international community, of its strengthened commitment to humanitarian disarmament, as manifested by its accession to the CCM and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
"Achieving a world free of cluster munitions depends on the strengthening of norms that are universally accepted and implemented", emphasizes Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, in his capacity as the President of the 9th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). His statement has been released on the occasion of the 9th anniversary of entry into force of the CCM on 1 August 2019.
Web Article : http://www.clusterconvention.org/2019/07/31/9th-anniversary-of-the-conventions-entry-into-force/
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
7th August 2019
Addressing a panel discussion at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez stressed the need for making determined efforts towards achieving concrete progress in nuclear disarmament through the preservation of existing disarmament architecture; and substantive negotiation and finalization of instruments on CD’s agenda items, through fast-tracking the adoption of a Programme of Work.
Ambassador Azeez drew attention to the need for taking other important measures including completing the universalization of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, noting its significant contribution to advancement of science and technology, lying at the inter-section between nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. Deploring the continuing impasse in nuclear disarmament, he stressed that it was striking "the issue has coursed through the vortex of international public concern with little changes in its tide, for decades."
He highlighted the importance of disarmament education and full integration of a gender perspective as imperative to ensure "a fully informed, well-represented, result-oriented negotiation on critical issues.
The following article published on InDepthNews highlights the viewpoints expressed by Ambassador Azeez at the panel discussion:
https://www.indepthnews.net/index.php/opinion/2875-nuclear-disarmament-through-the-vortex-of-global-concern
Full Statement by Ambassador Azeez
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
5th August 2019
The international and regional strategic landscapes becoming increasingly constrained, only accentuates the need for the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to get down to its substantive task of negotiating appropriate disarmament frameworks, said Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez speaking at the CD Plenary Session in Geneva.
Speaking further, Sri Lanka's envoy called for balanced and comprehensive disarmament, that should be realized through a step by step approach, underpinned by the adoption of legally binding frameworks and through addressing existing legal gaps.
“We attach priority to full compliance with, and effective promotion of, the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) without further delay, support the preservation of all existing disarmament architecture, remain committed to achieving a legally binding instrument on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), and promote the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention and call for their effective and non-discriminatory implementation”.
The Congressional (UXO)/ Demining Caucus held a panel discussion on demining efforts in Sri Lanka on 14th March at the Capitol Hill where the government’s ownership of the program and the commitment for a mine free Sri Lanka came for praise by the implementing partners and the US government. The Panel Discussion was held on the invitation of the Co-chairs of the UXO/ Demining Caucus, Representative Bill Johnson (R) and Representative (D) Jackie Spiers.
Rear Admiral Dharmendra Wettewa, Minister (Defence) represented the Embassy at the panel which also included Mr. Alistair Moir, of the Mine Advisory Group (MAG), Mr. Vithoozan Anthony of the HALO Trust and Mr. Rodney A Robideau, the Conventional Weapon Destruction Program Manager, South and Central Asia of the Department of State.
Introducing the speakers of the panel, Co-Chair Rep. Bill Johnson spoke about the 30 years long ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and touched upon the reconciliation and accountability process which he stated U.S.A. is following closely. He recalled his visits to Sri Lanka and expressed his great appreciation to the Sri Lankan government and the international partners, especially the dedication of the women Mine Clearance workers for their efforts to achieve the vision of a mine free Sri Lanka by 2020 and reiterated the U.S. government’s commitment to help achieving that goal.
“Sri Lanka stands for comprehensive disarmament, realized through a step by step approach, underpinned by the adoption of legally binding frameworks and the addressing of legal gaps”, Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva informed the Conference on Disarmament (CD).
Addressing the High Level Segment of the Conference, the Ambassador cautioned that an approach of “picking the pick-ables and leaving out the rest” in the UN Secretary General’s ‘Securing our common future: An Agenda for Disarmament’, may perpetuate existing imbalances rather than addressing them comprehensively.
“In Sri Lanka’s perspective, the launching of the ‘Agenda’ by the Secretary General marked a significant step forward. While we are encouraged that several countries have taken ideas from the ‘Agenda’ and have introduced multilateral initiatives, it is unfortunate that some others should have interpreted it only from the perspective of their own strategic priorities”, he said.
- Gender perspective and disarmament education imperative to address new and emerging security challenges -Ambassador Azeez
- Sri Lanka accords high priority to the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention
- ‘Sri Lanka has shown extraordinary seriousness at all levels to make ‘ Sri Lanka Mine Free by 2020’-UN Special Envoy Prince Mired