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Statement by Sri Lanka: Conference on Disarmament – Subsidiary Body 2: Prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters, 03 June 2025

Published: 03 June 2025
Last Updated: 03 June 2025

SB 2 June 3

 

Mr. Coordinator,

Sri Lanka reiterates its steadfast commitment to complete elimination of nuclear weapons and preventing nuclear war through legally binding instruments. As a nation that championed the 1978 UN General Assembly Special Session on Disarmament (SSOD1), Sri Lanka emphasizes the urgency of translating technical and institutional discussions into actionable, legally binding commitments.

As we all know, the current realities of multilateralism have proven the difficulties of negotiating or agreeing on a new legally binding instrument to address the asymmetries of the existing treaties for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Therefore, identifying synergies and complementarities of existing treaties and mechanisms, including the NPT, the TPNW, the CTBT, and the relevant UNGA resolution and other legal provisions and exploring their full implementation to address the new threats of nuclear weapons and arsenals would be an alternative in addressing the rapidly escalating threats. The Universalization of the NPT, TPNW and the CTBT remains an urgent priority in order to bring all nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states into an inclusive dialogue on nuclear disarmament.

Sri Lanka believes that any new legally binding instrument must address the gaps in the existing legal regimes and enforce time bound, pragmatic, verifiable and irreversible steps to eliminate nuclear weapons.  

As the President of the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference resulted in the indefinite extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which remains a significant and historic milestone of nuclear disarmament even today, Sri Lanka regrets the longstanding stalemate in international efforts to move forward in addressing the issue of nuclear weapons.

Under the Presidency of Sri Lanka, the 1995 NPT Review Conference also strengthened the review process of the NPT for the operation of the Treaty with a view to ‘assuring that the purposes of the Preamble and the provisions of the Treaty are being realized’. Today, all we need to do is collectively envisaging to address persistent challenges and build on lessons learnt from the previous review cycle, which ended without consensus, in order to avoid wasting the opportunities at the forthcoming Review Conference in 2026.  

Let me also recall the opinion of Justice C.J. Weeramantry, a renowned Sri Lankan judge and a former Vice President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons in 1996.

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“Use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is illegal in any circumstances whatsoever. It violates the fundamental principles of international law, and represents the very negation of the humanitarian concerns which underlie the structure of humanitarian law.”

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In his opinion, Justice Weeramantry further states that “In the field of nuclear disarmament, it also reminds all nations of their obligation to bring these negotiations to their conclusion in all their aspects, thereby ending the continuance of this threat to the integrity of international law”

Looking ahead, it should also be underlined that political will remains a challenge in achieving technical and institutional capabilities for nuclear disarmament.

In conclusion, Sri Lanka wishes to convey our appreciation to Switzerland for its leadership in this subsidiary body and for conducting informal consultations on diversified themes.

Thank you

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Statement by Sri Lanka: Conference on Disarmament – Subsidiary Body 1 - Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, 27 May 2025

Published: 27 May 2025
Last Updated: 29 May 2025

Statement by Sri Lanka CD SB 1 27.05.2025

 

Mr. Coordinator,

Sri Lanka appreciates your leadership in guiding the informal consultations in this Subsidiary Body in a manner where all States could profoundly discuss the related issues on the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament.

As the recent global security challenges continue to highlight the risk of use or threat to use nuclear weapons, establishment of a robust legal framework through multilateral discussion remains our most promising pathway toward complete nuclear disarmament.

The Conference on Disarmament, as the sole multilateral negotiating forum available in this regard, bears a special responsibility in advancing the legal framework for nuclear disarmament. While we acknowledge the challenges faced by this body in recent decades, Sri Lanka remains convinced of its indispensable role and potential.

Sri Lanka views various disarmament treaties not as competing instruments but as complementary frameworks that ultimately strengthen the legal architecture for nuclear disarmament.

Among them, the provision for prohibition of nuclear weapons established by the TPNW represents a crucial step toward their elimination. By explicitly prohibiting States Parties from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, or stockpiling nuclear weapons, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) establishes comprehensive legal barriers against nuclear weapons. Further, its prohibitions against transferring, receiving, using, or threatening to use nuclear weapons further strengthen the international norm against nuclear weapons. The NPT, CTBT, and other related instruments each address specific aspects of the nuclear disarmament process, from testing to manufacturing to use, creating a comprehensive framework towards the ultimate goal of their total elimination.

When discussing the legal framework to advance the process of nuclear disarmament, Sri Lanka believes that the complementarity between existing legal instruments must be recognized and leveraged more effectively.

While noting the growing nuclear risks which demands urgent attention and action, Sri Lanka wishes to emphasize several key points:

1. Universalization of Existing Instruments

While recalling its recent accession to the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Sri Lanka calls for the promotion of universal adherence to existing disarmament treaties, including the TPNW and CTBT. Sri Lanka has consistently supported the UN General Assembly resolutions calling upon ‘all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the TPNW at the earliest possible date’ 1 . Sri Lanka also wishes to encourage all States, particularly those possessing nuclear weapons or those under nuclear security arrangements, to engage constructively with these Treaties and their humanitarian principles and objectives.

2. Humanitarian Consequences

We all need to be conscious that the use of any nuclear weapon is not merely a security issue but bears catastrophic humanitarian consequences. Thus, as responsible members of the international community we all need to ensure the world will never experience such devastative impact. It remains as our ultimate obligation for future generations.

3. Verification mechanism

Nuclear disarmament verification remains essential to building confidence and transparency in disarmament processes. Sri Lanka supports strengthening existing verification regimes and developing new technologies and approaches that can support effective monitoring of compliance with disarmament obligations.

4. Strengthening the Conference on Disarmament

We believe that breaking the institutional deadlock in the CD requires creative approaches and flexibility of all stakeholders. This institutional deadlock diminishes the effectiveness of the CD in addressing disarmament issues over the decades. The recent decision allowing Subsidiary Bodies to continue their work into 2025 offers a valuable opportunity to overcome these challenges and Sri Lanka stands ready to engage constructively in efforts to develop a balanced and comprehensive program of work of the CD that addresses the priorities of all member states and advancing the legal framework necessary for achieving and maintaining a world free of nuclear weapons.

In conclusion, Sri Lanka calls upon all States to renew their commitment to multilateralism and to the development of legal frameworks that will facilitate verifiable and irreversible nuclear disarmament.

Thank you

[1] UNGA Resolution 79/38 - Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

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Training on Disarmament for Sri Lanka Foreign Service Officers

Published: 29 April 2025
Last Updated: 29 April 2025

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    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) successfully conducted a two day Seminar on Disarmament for Sri Lanka Foreign Service Officers on 25 and 26 April, 2025 at the Ministry.   Over 40 officers based in Colombo attended the workshop physically while over 60 officers attached to Sri Lanka Missions abroad followed the Seminar virtually.

    Sri Lanka co-hosted a side event at the Global Disability Summit in Berlin, Germany

    Published: 03 April 2025
    Last Updated: 25 April 2025
     
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      SriLanka as a member of Victim Assistance Committee of the Anti-Personnel MineBan Convention together with Austria, Burkina Faso and the Netherlands co-hosted a side event titled 'Victim Assistance in the Context of Disability Rights' on 03 April 2025 at the Global Disability Summit in Berlin, Germany.
       
      Speaking at the side event Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany, Her Excellency Varuni  Muthukumarana highlighted  the responsibility of the international community to ensure inclusive & equitable access to humanitarian assistance for affected communities.

      Statement by Hon. MFA at the High Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament, 25 February 2025

      Published: 25 February 2025
      Last Updated: 25 April 2025
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      Madam President

      Excellencies

      Distinguished delegates

      First, let me congratulate Her Excellency ICHIKAWA Tomiko, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan on assuming the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. I wish to assure you of my country’s fullest support and cooperation for the success of the CD. I also sincerely thank Italy; the First President to the CD this year for the leadership in adopting the programme of work and setting the ground for this year’s work. Let me reiterate the support of Sri Lanka to Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia and Mexico; the incoming presidents for 2025 and wish them strength to unlock the deadlock the CD has been in for over two decades and resume its substantive work.

      Intervention by Sri Lanka at the Fifth Meeting of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), 02-13 December 2024, in Geneva - Science & Technology Review Mechanism (10 December 2024)

      Published: 10 December 2024
      Last Updated: 29 May 2025

      BWC 2024 12 10

      Mr. Chair,

      Sri Lanka appreciates your efforts in presenting an ambitious road map together with a proposal to convene a Special Conference in 2025, with the earnest hope of bringing the two years of discussions at this Working Group towards a tangible outcome.

      Today, we have come to a point where we need to deliver on what we have been deliberating over the years or at least strive to see how far we can go and reshape our path towards a solid outcome. In that sense, we welcome the proposal by the Chair and look forward to constructively engaging with all States Parties to decide our way forward based on consensus while recognizing the concerns of all Members.

      Mr. Chair

      We understand the proposed ‘Science & Technology Review Mechanism’ is an important element of the proposed roadmap as well as Convention and we value the efforts of Friends of Chair for driving the mandate of the Working Group throughout the past year, particularly crafting the recommendation on Science & Technology Review Mechanism in an inclusive approach.

      Science & Technology can be considered as one of the vital elements related to the Biological Weapons Convention. As we are aware, advances in biological science and bio-technology could pose risks and threats which could lead to potential breaches of the Convention while the same can be of benefit to fight against such risks by developing vaccines and medicines. It is important to be mindful of this dual-use nature of life sciences which bring both advancements and challenges to the implementation of the Convention when we deliberate on the elements of the Science & Technology Review Mechanism. As we consider the proposed Science & Technology Review Mechanism after five decades of signing the Biological Weapons Convention in 1972, the rapid evolution of bioscience and biotechnology and emerging challenges, as well as associated risks posed by advancement of wide range of sciences and technologies in the world need to be adequately captured in this mechanism.

      While firmly believing that the proposed mechanism should be an integral part of strengthening the Convention, Sri Lanka wishes to make the following observations;

      1. The States Parties may strive to minimize the complexity of the proposed Science & Technology Mechanism with a view to make it more pragmatic and sustainable.

      2. This Advisory Mechanism should ensure equal access to all States Parties to receive specific advice on scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention, exchange of relevant information on latest scientific developments regardless of scientific or technical capabilities, and economic status of the States.

      3. The proposed review group, reporting committee and temporary groups under this Advisory Mechanism should operate in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner and with a balanced approach.

      4. While noting that the Science and Technology Reporting Committee of up to 25 members drawing from the Science and Technology Review Group will serve in their individual expert capacities, we underline that a clear selection criterion is vital. The level of expertise and experience should be clear and should proportionately accommodate experts from developing countries. It is important to reflect geographical and gender balance in the Reporting Committee as recommended in the non-paper.

      5. The number of members of the Reporting Committee should be flexible to accommodate a reasonable number of experts depending on the number of nominations received by the states and the necessity of having relevant experts in the Committee while striking the balance between numbers and geographical and gender representation.

      6. Clearly pre-defined selection criteria for standing bodies of Advisory Mechanism will be crucial to avoid any conflict of interest and the experts to the Advisory Mechanism should be free from influence of the nominating government and vital to ensure the independence and transparency of their work.

      7. We propose setting up ethical standards to be followed by the scientists and experts in serving in the standing bodies of this Mechanism

      8. This Mechanism needs to be improved to hear the voices of developing and least developed countries even in the event such countries do not have capacity to nominate experts in the relevant field.

      9. Given the rapid development in science and technology, we perceive the importance of nominating experts from diversified fields of related sciences such as biology, biotechnology, microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biosecurity, immunology, epidemiology etc. as well as in a multidisciplinary approach including in the field of technologies related to military development, security, artificial intelligence (AI) etc.

      Mr. Chair,

      In view of the road map and the proposal that you have put forwarded as a basis for our discussions at this Working Group, we wish to emphasize that both the International Cooperation and Assistance (ICA) mechanism and the Science & Technology mechanism should be independent, transparent and sustainable and their parallel progress will be vital to reach the desired outcomes.

      We understand that the pragmatic and effective operation of these two mechanisms will be important in the universal implementation of the BWC.

      Mr. Chair

      Sri Lanka attaches great importance in addressing the needs of developing and least developed countries through these mechanisms and we are committed to extend our fullest cooperation in strengthening the Biological Weapons Conventions in a realistic manner while considering the concerns of all States Parties in a consensual approach.

      Thank you

      View PDF 

      1. Intervention by Sri Lanka at the Fifth Meeting of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), 02-13 December 2024, in Geneva - International Cooperation & Assistance Mechanism (09 December 2024)
      2. Statement by Her Excellency Himalee Arunatilaka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva at the 2024 Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW),14 November 2024
      3. Statement by Her Excellency Himalee Arunatilaka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva at the Twelfth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) on 10 September 2024

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