“Outstanding wisdom, insight” “Highly skilled, cultured”, “Profound knowledge”:  UN Disarmament  Envoys in farewell to Lankan Ambassador 

The Ambassadors of Russia and China to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) were prominent among those who bade a warm farewell to Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Sri Lanka’s outgoing ambassador/permanent representative to the UN in Geneva as Dr. Jayatilleka made his valedictory remarks at the CD plenary on Tuesday August 4^th.

Ambassador Valery Loschinin of the Russian Federation (a former First Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia) described Dr. Jayatilleka as “a highly skilled, highly cultured diplomat with a profound knowledge of international relations; very energetic and active, who has his own point of view on events in his own country and the world, and has contributed to the defense of the interests of his own country as well as the cause of international cooperation”.  

Wang Qun, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Disarmament Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, stated that Dr Dayan Jayatilleka will be missed “not only because of his outstanding wisdom, insight, eloquence and elegance, but because of his important contributions to the work of the CD and the Group of 21. We shall remember his contributions”.    

Brazil’s Ambassador to the CD, Luiz Filipe de Macedo Soares, spoke of Ambassador Jayatilleka’s knowledge of Brazilian intellectuals and their social scientific work, as an exemplary model of South-South education and awareness. 

Mr. Daniel Ávila Camacho of Colombia spoke on behalf of the Group of 21, the equivalent in the Conference on Disarmament, of the Non Aligned group, and praised Ambassador Jayatilleka for his contribution to the G21. Ambassador Mohammed Abdul Hannan of Bangladesh and Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja of Indonesia commended his contribution as coordinator of Agenda item 6 on general and comprehensive disarmament and Indonesia added that “his compassion will be missed”.

The current Chairperson of the Conference on Disarmament, Ambassador Caroline Miller of Australia, wished Ambassador Jayatilleka and his family all the best, adding that she was especially sad at his departure because she considers him partly “an Aussie” because of the years he spent in Australia and his warm feelings towards that country.

05 August 2009