Sri Lanka has called for an urgent review of the composition of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), to better reflect the geographical distribution, the importance of chemical industry, and the political and security interests of Member States in the contemporary world.
Addressing the 22nd Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in The Hague, last Wednesday (29th November 2017), the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to The Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Mr A.M.J. Sadiq made this call while delivering the National Statement on behalf of Sri Lanka. Elaborating further, Ambassador Sadiq noted that since the establishment of the OPCW twenty years ago, there have been major positive developments of economic and geo-political significance in Asia, Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean. Today, around 84% of the world population and 73 % of Member States of the OPCW belong to these regions.
Sri Lanka participated in the 7th Meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) entered into force in August 2010, held in Geneva on 4-6 September 2017, which opened today.
The attached statement was delivered by Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha.
Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) is an international treaty that addresses the humanitarian consequences and unacceptable harm to civilians caused by cluster munitions, through a categorical prohibition and a framework for action. The Convention prohibits all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. In addition, it establishes a framework for cooperation and assistance to ensure adequate care and rehabilitation to survivors and their communities, clearance of contaminated areas, risk reduction education and destruction of stockpiles.
Sri Lanka’s delegation included Major General D S Weeraman psc, Brigadier W A N M Weerasinghe RSP USP and Ms. Dulmini Dahanayake, Second Secretary of the Sri Lanka Permanent Mission in Geneva.
4 September 2017
Sri Lanka Permanent Mission
Geneva
Sri Lanka said that it supports the establishment of a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) in 2017, within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and to elevate the dialogue on LAWS to a State –driven formal process.
- Statement by Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, Special Co-ordinator on the Improved and Effective Functioning of the Conference on Disarmament: 28 August 2001
- Statement by Ambassador S. Palihakkara, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Conference on Disarmament at the Plenary Session: 26 February 1998
- Opening remarks made by Ambassador Bernard A.B. Goonetilleke President of the Conference on Disarmament, at the Inaugural Meeting of the Presidency of the CD: 21 August 1997