President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa left on a five-day visit to New York yesterday during which he will address the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York City, the Presidential Spokesman and International Media Unit said in a release.
The release added: “President Rajapaksa will participate in the general debate of the UNGA and is scheduled to speak on September 24.
This is the sixth time the President is attending the UNGA. The President’s first address to the UNGA was in 2006.
When the President addressed the UNGA in 2011, less than three years after the end of the war, he said: ‘The most significant challenge to stability and progress in the modern world is posed by the menace of terrorism.’
He said: ‘Whilst clash of ideas, opinions and values continues we have clearly to recognise that dialogue, deliberation and consensus offer the only viable means for resolving differences.
The might of powerful nations cannot prevail against justice and fair play.’
President Rajapaksa is also scheduled to participate in a number of bilateral discussions that include ones with UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma and several heads-of-state from Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
During the week in New York City, the President will also take part in a high-level political forum on sustainable development and host a dinner for African leaders.
External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, External Affairs Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin De Vaas Gunawardene, MP Lohan Ratwatte and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga are accompanying President Rajapaksa.”
Source -: Daily News
23-09-2013
