Sri Lanka calls on the international community to stand united in combating terrorism

01dec2015 amb sadiq

Sri Lanka today (1st December 2015) urged the world community to stand firm and united in combating terrorism. This call was made when Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Adam M.J. Sadiq addressed   the 20th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in the Hague.
 
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka during the General Debate of the Conference which opened yesterday, Ambassador Sadiq referring to the terrorist attacks in Paris, told the meeting, “While  unreservedly  condemning  the  recent  cold-blooded  terror  attacks  in  Paris  and  elsewhere in  the  world, Sri  Lanka  which  lost  thousands  of  innocent  lives  and  suffered  wanton  damage and  destruction  of  property,  due  to  terrorism,   calls  upon   the  international  community  to  stand  firm  and  united  in  combating  terrorism  in  all  its  forms  and  manifestations,  irrespective  of  the  source  or  target  of  this evil  menace”. 
 
Alluding to the centenary of   the  first  large  scale  use  of  chemicals  during  the  First  World  War, which was commemorated earlier in April this year at Ieper, Belgium, Ambassador Sadiq told the audience that the occasion reminded the  international  community  of   the horrendous  consequences  of  chemical warfare. In this context, he pointed out “however, even  after  a  century of experiencing  such  painful  human  suffering,  we are  yet  to  realize  a  world  free  of  chemical  weapons. The world is today experiencing  new  waves  of  terrorism.  With  the  rapid  advancement of science  and  technology, the  fear psychosis  associated  with  the  potential  emergence  of  terrorist  groups  with  chemical  weapons  capability  continues  to  grow, demanding  new  preventive  measures  and  global  cooperation”.  
 
He further noted “in  this  backdrop,  the  role  of  the  OPCW  remains  indispensable  and  vital in  the  global  struggle  towards  disarmament  and  non-proliferation  of  weapons  of  mass destruction.   The  OPCW  must  be  commended  for  its  dedicated  efforts in  pursuing  effective  disarmament measures  to  prevent  the  re-emergence of  chemical  weapons  and  deter chemical  terrorism”. 
 
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador also spoke of the relationship between the OPCW and Sri Lanka and noted “the capacity building programme on the  Safe  and  Secure  Management  of  Hazardous  Substances held in Sri Lanka in September this year in collaboration with Holcim  Lanka  Ltd.  He also referred to the  OPCW  Associate  Program  2015, in which  Load  Star  (Pvt)  Company  Ltd of  Sri  Lanka   hosted  the  industrial  attachment  of  two  participants  from  Tunisia  and  Poland  in  September  2015, enabling  them  to  gain  practical  experience  in  a sophisticated  industrial  environment”. 
 
The Conference of States Parties is the plenary organ comprising 192 members of the OPCW and is empowered to oversee the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).  Sri Lanka, as an early signatory of the CWC in January 1993, remains committed to the principles on which the OPCW was founded. 
 
 
  
Embassy of Sri Lanka,
The Hague
 
1st December 2015

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