YouSaid · the spoken record

Kadirgamar

lines on the record: 59
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

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“Nevertheless, it is Sri Lanka’s firm conviction that the membership of the United Nations has within it the means to reinvest in the Organization all it requires to fulfil the principles of the Charter. This would require much more than a symbolic declaration of commitment by each Member State. We owe it to the people we represent to strive diligently in the years to come to make this Organization truly a place where the highest aspirations of humanity can be fulfilled. Tentative programme of work”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“As sanctions are mandatory, all countries are bound to implement them even when they have had no part in the decisions leading to them. In his “Supplement to An Agenda for Peace'”, the Secretary- General has made a number of useful recommendations relating to the serious problems encountered in the implementation of sanctions. The non-aligned countries have studied these proposals and we await further developments. Later this month, the United Nations will mark its fiftieth anniversary with a special commemorative meeting. Although the occasion will, by its very nature, embody the highest possible political commitment made by the international community to the United Nations, it must not be seen purely as an opportunity for the Organization to garner a harvest of tributes. Much ails the Organization.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“A single example relating to the imposition and implementation of sanctions would suffice to indicate the gap between principle and practice. Situations in which sanctions are imposed vary greatly and no uniform rules are applicable. Sanctions cannot be applied with surgical precision to impact exclusively on those at whom they are aimed. Sanctions can thus hurt innocent civilians, affect entire economies and, as the Council itself acknowledges, impact adversely on third countries that are in no way involved in the transgressions of the regime against which sanctions are imposed. Yet decisions by the Council on the imposition of sanctions are not based on prior consultations with the countries concerned, to assess carefully the true impact, extent and reach of such extreme measures.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“If regional criteria are considered, then, Asia, Africa and Latin America are either unrepresented or severely under-represented in the present Council. Finally, the veto power, given its untrammelled character and its association with the possession of nuclear weapons, needs, in our opinion, careful, sober review. The Security Council’s methods of work have in the recent past been subject to welcome improvement, particularly in permitting a better exchange of views between Council members and others. There is, however, much more that needs to be done to make the Security Council truly accessible, democratic and responsive to Member States of the United Nations, on whose behalf the Council is meant to act in accordance with Charter principles.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“A substantial increase in the membership of the United Nations, particularly from among developing counties, needs to be more equitably reflected in the composition of the Council as well. Furthermore, there are reasons, at least as compelling as those proclaimed 50 years ago to justify the status conferred at that time on the Council’s five permanent members, to now advance the claims of other States that aspire to join the five. These new aspirants to permanent-member status include, reasonably and justifiably in our view, non-aligned countries as well. Regrettably, eligibility claims for membership in the Council continue to be made on assumptions of power, military or economic, and its global or regional projection. But this vitiates basic principles underlying democratic representation and considerations of justice and equity.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“There is much to support a coordinated, rational and informed examination of recommendations which seek to strengthen the United Nations and render it a more effective and efficient Organization. A piecemeal approach may not be an effective one, given the complexity of the individual issues involved as well as their interrelationship. We look forward to further work on this initiative next year. The Security Council has perhaps been the single most contentious United Nations organ under scrutiny. Sri Lanka’s own position is that in many respects the Council still reflects power realities that prevailed 50 years ago. There can be no warrant for the perpetuation of exclusive rights without accommodation of other relevant considerations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“26 The fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations has spawned a variety of studies on the future of the Organization, initiated within as well as outside the United Nations. Working groups of the General Assembly have been busy during recent sessions, studying the financial situation of the Organization, development issues, the Security Council, the Agenda for Peace and other aspects of the United Nations. The issues are complex. Progress is slow. Decisions are few. A resolution on the strengthening of the United Nations system, patiently negotiated on the initiative of the President of the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly, was adopted by consensus.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Sri Lanka’s initiative for Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Cooperation (IOMAC) has focused on the development of international cooperation in marine affairs in the economic, scientific and technical fields. The recent Mauritius and Perth initiatives on the Indian Ocean have recognized IOMAC’s pioneering effort in helping to widen cooperation in the marine sector. The process for the formalization of IOMAC through the ratification of the 1990 Arusha Agreement on the Organization for Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Cooperation is being further accelerated in order to provide an effective mechanism for intensifying cooperation, in keeping with the growing aspirations of the countries of the region.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The non-aligned countries, including Sri Lanka, have sought to establish conditions of peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean region. The United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean, taking into account current realities, has been considering new, alternative approaches to ensuring peace and security in this vital but volatile region of the world. Sri Lanka, as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, has been in consultation with those permanent members of the Security Council that have not been participating in the Committee’s work in order to re-enlist their active participation and give fresh impetus to the process of strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, including in respect of non-military aspects of security.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We have expressed our deep disappointment and concern over the resumption of nuclear testing by some nuclear Powers, which is contrary to the undertakings of utmost restraint entered into at the NPT Conference. We therefore urge that expeditious negotiations be conducted on a comprehensive test-ban treaty, with a view to concluding it in 1996. In this regard, we are happy to support President Clinton’s initiative to place the Geneva negotiations on a comprehensive test-ban treaty on a faster track in order to achieve a zero-yield test-ban treaty by 1996. We also note the recent assurance in this respect given by President Chirac of France. The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and zones of peace is an essential part of regional security.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“While the outcome of the Conference has been widely hailed, it is vital also to emphasize the need for the establishment of a comprehensive disarmament regime to meet the security concerns of all countries, including the non-nuclear-weapon States, through the realization of commitments undertaken under the Treaty and the decisions taken at the 1995 Conference by the nuclear-weapon States. These commitments include the conclusion of a comprehensive test-ban Treaty, legally binding assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, the unimpeded, non-discriminatory transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and the eventual elimination of all nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction throughout the world.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The SAARC Preferential Trade Arrangement has made much headway and is expected to enter into force this year. We look to the future confident of consolidating our gains in a South Asian free- trade arrangement. Sri Lanka, together with our South Asian partners, will explore all avenues to seek and build on common ground and optimize regional cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Indeed, cooperation within, as well as between, regions offers much scope for economic progress and equitable sharing of global wealth. We look forward to greater interregional cooperation to advance this process. Sri Lanka was privileged to have served the Review and Extension Conference on the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to facilitate the adoption of a package of decisions without resort to a vote.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The World Conference on Women, in Beijing last month, dealt with a range of issues — political, social, religious and economic — affecting women and adopted a Platform for Action to empower women. All these conferences have emphasized that responsibility for major global problems needs to be shared and that action to deal with them needs to be taken in concert. Regrettably, if expectations have been great, resources for their realization have been meagre. The political determination necessary to transform commitments into action still appears far less than adequate. Despite the absence of optimal international cooperation in certain areas, some regional activities have made good progress. In our own region, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“A number of world conferences have recently been held, covering a series of generic issues which have a direct bearing on the lives of people the world over. These have demonstrated both the promise and the paucity of international cooperation. Agenda 21, produced 25 by the Rio Conference on Environment and Development, is yet to be fully operationalized due to the lack of necessary resources. Last year the International Conference on Population and Development affirmed the central role of the human being in all development and population activities. The World Summit for Social Development, held in March this year in Copenhagen, sought to promote concerted international action to deal with a crucial trio of contemporary concerns: poverty, unemployment and the disintegration of society.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Calls made earlier for a restructuring of international economic relations and a North-South dialogue have floundered in a sea of slogans. But we must realize that global interdependence has made international cooperation an imperative, not a slogan. The United Nations must assert its part in a more effective new multilateralism. Almost two decades ago Sri Lanka adopted a liberal free-market economy in order to accelerate economic growth. My Government is taking steps to privatize State- controlled enterprises, in particular utilities and services provided by the Government, and to encourage foreign investment. We intend to benefit from the opportunities arising from the globalization of economic activity.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“A major thrust of this approach has been to work out new practical aspects of international development cooperation which would embrace developed as well as developing countries, the more secure economies as well as those that are more vulnerable. The final communiqué issued earlier this year in Halifax, at the Summit of the seven major industrialized countries, proclaimed their willingness to cooperate with others to develop a new approach to international cooperation and to define the particular contribution expected of the United Nations system to develop such an approach. A vital aspect of this exercise should be the enhancement of cooperation between the United Nations system and the Bretton Woods institutions.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Yet, in the process, many developing countries have had to make painful structural adjustments in their economies at heavy cost to vulnerable sections of their populations. If there is greater overall international economic activity, it is also true that for many developing countries, despite their best efforts, the economic outlook has not been encouraging. The recent Conference of non-aligned countries held at Jakarta issued a renewed call for a new orientation between developed and developing countries whereby constructive dialogue and partnership were emphasized, based on a mutuality of interest and benefit, genuine interdependence and shared responsibility.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“While economic factors have not always been the cause of conflict, we very much agree with the Secretary- General that the foundations for peace lie primarily in the realm of economic and social development. The 1990s have often been described as a period of economic globalization, considering the increasing interdependence among States, greater international integration and flow of goods, services, capital and markets, as well as a more widespread and rapid dissemination of information and ideas through technological advancements in communications. Globalization is sometimes over- simplified as a phenomenon favourable to the emancipation of international economic activity. It is true that most economies which had been constricted or centrally controlled have now been liberalized and have, as it were, plugged in to the global economy.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“They must certainly not be carried out to the detriment of the pressing development priorities of the United Nations. In “An Agenda for Peace” the Secretary-General has sought to evaluate manifold aspects of contemporary peace and security, not merely the question of peace-keeping operations. This evaluation has had a continuous focus in the General Assembly, in the Security Council, in other forums such as the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries as well as in national debate since the Secretary-General’s initial report was presented in 1992. The cardinal aspect of “An Agenda for Peace” is the conviction that it is clearly better to prevent conflicts through heeding early warnings and encouraging quiet diplomacy rather than through launching major politico-military ventures to settle conflicts after they have erupted.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“A healthy, albeit controversial, debate has proceeded in the United Nations on peace-keeping and other related issues. The debate has made abundantly clear that United Nations intervention or involvement in any situation can expect to be successful only if certain basic considerations are heeded. First, any intervention must enjoy the general support and confidence of the international community and not be promoted merely to satisfy the political exigencies and partisan objectives of members of the Security Council or other powerful States. Secondly, in any intervention the consent of the countries in conflict must be clearly obtained. Finally, such politico-military operations must neither dominate United Nations activity nor be its principal financial liability.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“I had occasion recently, speaking in the Parliament of Sri Lanka, to condemn unreservedly the inhumane and cruel treatment that has been inflicted upon the Muslims in Bosnia. These and other atrocities committed in Bosnia have been fully documented by the United Nations rapporteurs and humanitarian agencies and need to be condemned by the international community. 24 The role of the United Nations in that conflict has received special focus as the Organization, in this its fiftieth year, undergoes a period of introspection. The situation in Bosnia has been an unusually complex one in which the United Nations has had to deal with developments without precedent in the Organization’s peace-keeping history. In terms of Article 17 of the United Nations Charter, peace- keeping is the collective financial responsibility of all States.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Sri Lanka supports the continuation of the peace process in the Middle East, the realization of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of conditions of peace and stability for all States in the region which would enable them to develop within secure boundaries. Commitments made on interim agreements towards this objective, as Chairman Arafat of Palestine stated last Thursday, must be precise, honest and mutual. In Bosnia, Sri Lanka welcomes the fact that the parties concerned have found it possible to commence peace negotiations although the guns have yet to be finally silenced. We feel deeply for, and share the sorrow of, those who mourn for lives lost, lives disrupted in the affected communities. We hope that a viable settlement acceptable to all will soon be concluded.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Sri Lanka feels deeply that the African continent needs the wholehearted and vigorous support of the international community to overcome the obstacles to development and growth in this vital region of the world. The strengthening and utilization of the capacities and resources of Africa, identified by the African countries themselves and the Economic Commission for Africa, and concerted action to implement the Programme of Action for the Least-Developed Countries are urgently called for. The Middle East is the cradle of three of the world’s great religions. Yet historical prejudices have weighed down the quest for peace. Resort to violence and terrorism, the expropriation of land and the development of illegal settlements have conspired to impede the momentum for peace.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Not all of such changes have been welcome. Not all of the changes have reached their logical, or indeed illogical, conclusion. The acclaimed transformation in South Africa has been a blessed exception. Institutionalized racism in its grosser forms has at last been vanquished. The South African experience has demonstrated the power of tolerance, understanding and inspired leadership to wear down the brutal, evil legacies of the past. It has also shown that there is a capacity for change in human attitudes once considered unthinkable. Racism, however, has continued in subtler forms elsewhere in the world. The international community must continue to be vigilant. That ugly phenomenon must never be tolerated, wherever it occurs and whatever its manifestations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It has been a source of major encouragement to us that the international community has supported the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka in the pursuit of peace. While the eventual solution of our problems lies essentially in our own hands and through mechanisms of our own devising, we sincerely appreciate the interest and support of the international community. It is in this context that I have volunteered today to brief the Assembly on the situation in Sri Lanka. The significance of this session of the United Nations General Assembly extends well beyond the fact that it commemorates 50 years in the life of the Organization. International life is in constant flux. No era is wholly static. Yet the last decade or so has seen radical changes affecting virtually every aspect of life on this planet.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“They will be appointed on the recommendation of a Constitutional Council — an independent and widely representative body reflecting all shades of political opinion. The proposed Commission will have monitoring functions in respect of executive and administrative practices as well as investigative functions to inquire into any infringement of fundamental rights. It will also have advisory and other functions, inter alia, to ensure that laws and administrative practices accord with international human-rights norms and standards and to facilitate inexpensive access to remedial relief. Sri Lanka has consistently supported United Nations initiatives for national institution-building in the field of human rights.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“True to our long-established democratic tradition, a free-ranging national debate among Sri Lankans is proceeding on these proposals. The eventual implementation of agreed proposals will require compliance with the procedures appropriate for the amendment of our Constitution, including a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a national referendum. To help further enhance conditions of confidence for the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, my Government has presented legislation in Parliament to establish a Human Rights Commission in Sri Lanka. The Commission will consist of members chosen from among persons with knowledge and experience in the field of human rights.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“One of the challenges of peace that Sri Lanka will soon have to face is the need to overcome the terrible legacy of the subverted and distorted young minds, of the broken, bereft families and interrupted lives that the conflict will leave behind. All this has only increased my Government’s determination to fulfil an imperative mandate from the people, to rebuild a free society in our Republic which is 23 based on tolerance and understanding and in which all communities throughout the nation could live in harmony and dignity in accordance with the principles of democratic governance. The Government has accordingly presented comprehensive proposals, daring in their scope and reach, for the devolution of power to regional units.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Yet we are appalled that in their desperation the militants, spurning the entreaties of distraught parents, have descended to conscripting children as young in age as 10 years to wage war and have even assigned them to suicide missions. A recent military encounter in north-eastern Sri Lanka revealed grim evidence confirming our worst fears. Most of the lives sacrificed by the leadership of the militants were teenagers barely able to carry arms, let alone understand the twisted mono-ethnic separatist ideology they have been indoctrinated to defend. In truth, it is the militants who must bear the ultimate responsibility for civilian casualties in this conflict.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“So long as they aim at our leaders the threat of assassination, we cannot believe that their professions of peace are sincere. We continue to fulfil our obligations to all our citizens, including those trapped in the north of the country. Supplies of food and other essential requirements are being made available by the Government and delivered through the International Committee of the Red Cross to our citizens in affected areas. This is an exceptional exercise which the late James Grant of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) described as uniquely humanitarian in a conflict situation. We are deeply troubled and concerned about the situation in which the children of the north and east of our country are placed. That mankind owes to the child the best it has to give is universally accepted.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“I detailed the initiatives taken by the Government of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, supported by a number of political parties, including those of the two principal minority communities, to resolve outstanding ethnic and other disputes through a bold process of political negotiation. That process was launched, but later encountered set-backs, primarily because one of the groups with which the Government had commenced talks abruptly returned to violence and terrorism, rejecting the peaceful option to which the rest of the country is committed. The Government has been constrained to take unavoidable reactive military measures to safeguard the lives, the security and the welfare of those who are threatened by the terrorist group.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Let me at the outset extend to Mr. Freitas do Amaral of Portugal the sincere good wishes of the Government and people of Sri Lanka on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at this its historic fiftieth session. We are privileged to have him guide its deliberations. My delegation offers him the same full cooperation that we extended to all his predecessors in that high office. Our gratitude is due Mr. Amara Essy of Côte d’Ivoire, who presided over the forty-ninth session with great skill and wisdom. When I addressed the Assembly last year, I reported that the people of Sri Lanka had secured an electoral victory for “moderation, tolerance and unity” (Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-ninth Session, Plenary Meetings, 5th meeting, p. 23) in a society that had passed through harrowing times.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“My Prime Minister expressed it in these words: "This is a beautiful but difficult dream, which we shall strive to realize." It is this vision that must concomitantly inspire the conduct of relations between States. Only then will the United Nations truly be "a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations".”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“(Official Records of the General Assembly, Eleventh Session, 590th meeting, p. 235, para. 41) That remains our view of the United Nations today. We collectively articulate a global social contract between the Governments and the peoples of this world whom we represent. The success of a global social contract rests on how individual States keep the people’s faith through good governance, the maintenance of human rights, equity and justice, and the provision of opportunities to enhance the quality of life. In Sri Lanka’s national context this involves political pluralism and makes of politics the discharge of a public trust where decision-making is open, transparent and based on the widest possible extent of acceptance. Everyone in public life is accountable for his or her actions.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“He was succeeded by Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first woman Prime Minister. Now - thirty-eight years later - their daughter, Ms. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, has become Prime Minister. What is remarkable is that each of them was elected to office by the free vote of the people in keenly fought elections. Each of them succeeded, by wholly democratic means, in unseating a strong Government. In 1956, in this Hall, Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike referred to the unconquered, unconquerable human spirit as the "one golden thread" passing through the "dark fabric of human history". He said: "I look upon the United Nations as the one machine available to mankind today through which it can express this unconquerable spirit of man in its efforts to achieve ... peace, friendship and collaboration".”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Nor must it be forgotten that economic inequalities and underdevelopment are at the root of phenomena such as massive refugee flows and even ethnic and other conflicts. We reiterate the non-aligned countries’ call for renewal of the North-South dialogue on the basis of mutual interests and interdependence. In this era of global transition, the need for a favourable international environment is imperative. Many developing countries are embarking upon structural-adjustment programmes, at considerable cost, yet these policies will be successful only to the extent that there is a genuine commitment to free- trade policies at the international level without extraneous conditionalities. Today - 26 September - Sri Lanka commemorates the thirty-fifth anniversary of the death of Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Sri Lanka is disappointed that, on the international economic scene, developing countries continue to suffer from inadequate access to trade and technology, from low 26 commodity prices and from excessive debt burdens. Financial flows for development have severely contracted. The economic disparities between the developed and the developing worlds continue to widen. The Charter of the United Nations rests on two main pillars: the maintenance of international peace and security, and international cooperation for socio-economic development. The United Nations must therefore at all times proceed with equal commitment on both these fronts - politico-security and socio-economic development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“At the international level, we are of the view that human rights should not become an arena for North-South confrontation and that no country should be singled out for hostile attention on grounds other than genuine concern for the human rights of its citizens. The scrutiny of a country’s human-rights record must be guided by principles of impartiality and objectivity. Such scrutiny must be motivated by a spirit of genuine concern, dialogue and cooperation. In this connection, we wish to felicitate the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ambassador Ayala Lasso, on his efforts to foster a cooperative, rather than a coercive, framework for the promotion of human rights world wide.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In addition, I have appointed, from among persons active in work for human rights through independent, non-governmental organizations, six outstanding national experts with international credentials to assist me with their knowledge and views. They serve in an individual capacity and on an honorary basis. Their appointment in no way precludes them from continuing to engage in their public campaigning for human rights, including comment on or criticism of governmental performance in this area. Their appointment is further evidence of my Government’s firm commitment to the conduct of open and transparent government.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“During our recent election campaign we promised our people that we would, as a matter of the highest priority, take steps to establish where necessary, and strengthen where possible, a legislative framework to promote and protect the full enjoyment of human rights. Within five weeks of assuming office we have prepared, for submission to Parliament, legislation to give effect to the Convention against torture. Before the end of this year, legislation will be introduced for the establishment of a national human rights commission. This commission will have judicial and investigative powers and will be totally independent of the executive.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In 1995, when we shall celebrate the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year, it would be timely to focus on the achievements of the decade and on further imperatives to advance the prospects for youth. The former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka took the initiative, at the Commonwealth summit in Cyprus, to focus special attention on youth issues. Subsequently, the non- aligned countries, at the ministerial meeting held in Cairo, supported the proposal to convene, at the highest political level, a special plenary meeting of this Assembly devoted to youth affairs, as part of the fiftieth anniversary celebrations. I must also stress my Government’s commitment to the provision of a transparent system for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of a truly vital democracy.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Sri Lanka’s favourable social indicators are the result of a consistent bipartisan commitment over the years to the maintenance of a high level of social expenditure. A number of income-transfer measures are in place. These are indispensable to protection of the vulnerable segments of the population during a period of structural adjustment aimed at accelerating economic growth. My Prime Minister has made a clear statement on economic policy, in which he indicates the Government’s firm resolve to build a strong national economy within a market framework, with the principal engine of growth expected to be the private sector, both domestic and foreign. We are particularly mindful of the need to pay attention to our youth.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As a region severely affected by poverty, we in South Asia have already taken steps to share our experiences and work out common approaches including the SAARC commitment to eradicate poverty by the year 2002. Absolute poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy stalk one fifth of the world’s population. We trust that the 1995 World Social Summit and the Agenda for Development will effectively address these issues and mobilize essential resources to back commitments to eradicate poverty, provide employment and promote social cohesion before the end of this century. Our development experience has taught us the importance of alleviating the poverty of the poorest and of maintaining social equity with economic growth.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We will spare no effort to develop and strengthen our ties with our Asian neighbours. An express commitment to pursue the interests we share with the family of Asian nations will 25 be a new, strong thrust in the foreign policy of our Government. It is in that same spirit that we participated in the launching of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). We are encouraged by the positive developments in SAARC as it journeys into the twenty-first century, propelled by two important trends in the region: democratization and the adoption of market-friendly economic policies. Understanding among the peoples of the region is increasing. Contacts between professional bodies in the region have rapidly gathered momentum.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Sri Lanka is particularly conscious of its identity as a small State, vulnerable to the ebb and flow of international tides, both political and economic. Yet we have not hesitated to take principled stands when we must. Nor will we shirk our responsibility to act in solidarity with other developing countries. We share their problems and concerns. Sri Lanka is geopolitically and culturally an Asian country. We rejoice over the fact that our continent, after centuries of dependence, is once more resurgent, politically stable and economically vibrant. This has been achieved largely through self-reliance, indigenous entrepreneurship and the Asian value systems. As we move at the global level to greater interdependence and interaction, Sri Lanka will remain firmly focused on the Asian experience and its Asian context.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In this context, Sri Lanka is of the view that Council membership should be increased to provide for wider representation, including representation of developing countries. Sri Lanka was honoured to co-chair the Working Group on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, including the strengthening of the nexus between the Assembly and the Security Council. We believe the approach we have taken to enhance transparency and encourage democratic practices is one which is shared by the vast majority of developing countries. We feel this process should be moved forward. It was in this context that in 1993 Sri Lanka announced its candidature for the 1996-1997 non- permanent Asian seat in the Security Council, which by practice of orderly rotation is due to the South Asian sub-region.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As the United Nations approaches its fiftieth anniversary, there is increasing, and more extensive, resort to multilateral action through the Organization. The Security Council is finally playing the role - and sometimes goes beyond the role - originally envisaged for it under the Charter. Yet we must continue to reiterate that foresight and careful assessment are vital in the preparation for any Council intervention, and that such action should be pursued only with the consent and cooperation of the States concerned. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the Security Council acts on behalf of the general membership of the United Nations. Unless its actions are based on the widest possible support, Council decisions will not be universally respected nor be truly effective.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean, taking into account emerging realities, has developed a fresh basis for a pragmatic, forward-looking approach to peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean area. We call upon the countries concerned, particularly the permanent Members of the Security Council and other major maritime users of the Indian Ocean, to enter into a serious and productive dialogue for a new partnership in the context of the Committee. As the Law of the Sea Convention enters into force, greater support needs to be extended to regional initiatives, such as the Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Cooperation (IOMAC), promoting cooperation between the developed and developing countries.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Throughout the course of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, which spanned a decade, Sri Lanka played a constructive and creative role. The pioneering role played by the late Ambassador Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe of Sri Lanka, President of the Law of the Sea Conference and a former President of this Assembly, is part of the history of this unique endeavour. Sri Lanka has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which has now entered into force, and has signed the Agreement relating to implementation of Part Xl of the Convention. This represents our continuing commitment to the creation of a new legal regime of the oceans. Sri Lanka looks forward to participating in the historic inaugural session of the International Sea-Bed Authority in Jamaica.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is imperative that our advance towards a nuclear-weapon-free world make substantial progress. To that end, work in the Conference on Disarmament towards a comprehensive 24 test-ban treaty is encouraging, though we must remain vigilant over any attempts to delay the conclusion of the treaty. In other areas of disarmament, Sri Lanka recently ratified the chemical weapons Convention, which we hope will come into force next year. As we see the end of the nuclear arms race, we do not want to have it replaced by regional arms races, whether to acquire nuclear-weapon capability or to achieve greater sophistication in conventional weapons. The United Nations arms Register is but a step on a long road towards transparency and confidence building, eliminating the arms bazaar, with its links to terrorism, drug trafficking and money-laundering.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)