Madam Moderator,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Asian Group.
First of all let me express our thanks to the President of the Human Rights Council and members of the Bureau for providing a space for this discussion on gender perspective in the work of the Human Rights Council. We also take this opprtunity to thank to all those delegations who were instrumental for this initiative. This is a good opportunity for exchange of views on this important subject.
“In the coming months I very much look forward to country visits to both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mme. Louise Arbour in her closing remarks at the 6th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held at the Palais de Nations, Geneva, on 13th and 14th September 2007.
Responding to her statement, and the one paragraph references to Sri Lanka in the Statement of the European Union read out by the Ambassador of Portugal (the current president of the EU) during the general debate, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva said that the visit of the High Commissioner was one of a number of initiatives taken by the Govt of Sri Lanka including visits by two UN Special Rapporteurs and a high level delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). He said that Sri Lanka has proven its willingness to have an open and constructive dialogue with the international community and UN Human Rights mechanisms at a difficult time when a ruthless and continuing terrorist war was being waged against it by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Sri Lankan delegation states that the country has successfully managed to control and contain the HIV epidemic on 27th July 2007 under Agenda item 7 (h) at Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held in Geneva.
Here is the full text of the Statement.
Statement by Sri Lanka delegation (by Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad, Counsellor) under Agenda item 7 (h) at Substantive Session of ECOSOC 2007 on 27 July 2007
Sri Lankan delegation expressed its serious concern with regard to the recent trend of equating and clustering of countries and putting them in different baskets as a means of expressing the nature of different humanitarian situations in the world on 25th July 2007 under the item 14 (e) of the General Segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) being held in Geneva.
Mr. President
My delegation wishes to express deep appreciation to you, for your tireless efforts in preparing a new text on institutional building of the Human Rights Council, which constitutes a good basis for our further work. You may be rest assured of the fullest cooperation of my delegation in achieving a consensual outcome of the entire package of the institutional building process, by the end of the 5th Session.
Mme. President, Director General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
First let me congratulate you Mme. President and our Vice Presidents for your election to this high office.
On behalf of the Government and the people of Sri Lanka I wish to offer my special congratulations and best wishes to our Director General, Dr Margaret Chan for being elected to lead this Organization for the next five years. With the exceptional commitment and leadership that Dr. Chan brings to her work, we have the utmost confidence that WHO and the future health of the world, is in very safe hands.
- Statement by H E Mrs.Sarala Fernando,Ambassador/Permanent Representative at the Programme Kick Off on Wednesday,17 January 2007 for the Common Humanitarian Action Plan on Sri Lanka
- Statements made by the Sri Lanka Delegation at the Human Rights Council Session on 27th November to 08th December 2006 in Geneva
- STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR PRASAD KARIYAWASAM, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE, ON AGENDA ITEM:67(C), HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS & REPORTS OF SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS & REPRESENTATIVES, AT THE UNGA, 61ST SESSION SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN & CULTURAL COMMITTEE 27-10-2006