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Sri Lanka has offered to host the consultations of the
South-East Asia Regional Group (SEAR) of the World
Health Organization on the Protocol on the illicit trade
in Tobacco Products in October 2008.
The offer was made during the First Session of the
Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on
Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products which concluded in
Geneva on Friday. The Conference was attended by
delegates from over 150 countries, observers,
organizations and NGOs
Sri Lanka together with the other members of the SEAR
actively participated in the deliberations both at the
regional consultative meetings as well as the plenary
sessions, in respect of the template of the Protocol on
Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products prepared by an expert
group appointed by the secretariat of the Convention of
Tobacco Control.
During the discussions, Sri Lanka reiterated its
position that a protocol of this nature is needed to
address the global issue of illicit trade in tobacco
products. Sri Lanka expressed very strong objections to
the provisions of the template that proposed the
issuance of licences for the sale of cigarettes and
other tobacco products over the internet. Voicing the
concern that particularly children and youth have
unsupervised and unlimited access to the internet, over
which mail order sales could be effected which was
against the provision in National Authority on tobacco
and alcohol act, Sri Lanka proposed a total prohibition
on internet sales.
Drawing attention to the articles 13 and 15 WHO
framework convention on tobacco control, Sri Lanka also
pointed out the difficulty of monitoring such sales and
jurisdictional issue that may arise.
Sri Lanka further stressed that the mere establishment
of a legal framework or a protocol would not suffice to
address illicit trade in tobacco products. The need to
have adequate resources for implementation and capacity
building in order to achieve the goals envisaged by the
protocol was stressed by the Sri Lankan delegation. It
was also urged that a comprehensive provisions with
regard to vibrant mechanism for information sharing,
data protection and safe guard, special enforcement
technique, technical assistance, and cooperation in
scientific and technological matters, legal and
administrative assistance as stressed.
These deliberations afforded the Sri Lankan delegation a
useful opportunity to assess comparative legislative
measures adopted in the other regions and to share the
Sri Lankan experience with them.
At the South East Asia Regional meeting, Sri Lanka
expressed its willingness to host the regional
consultations on the first draft of the protocol on the
illicit trade in tobacco products later this year.
Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the WHO regional advisor thanked
the Sri Lankan delegation for the valuable contribution
made throughout the deliberations and in particular, the
Hon. Nimal Siripala De Silva, Minister of Healthcare and
Nutrition for the political commitment demonstrated by
his presence throughout the deliberations.
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