Lanka urges unity to combat terrorism

Sri Lanka has?urged the world community to stand firm and united in combating terrorism, the Foreign Ministry said today.

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, 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. (Colombo Gazette)