Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, inaugurated the Summer Workshop organized by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies on 15th September 2014, on the theme “Nuclear Disarmament, Safety and Stability” at Tangerine Beach Hotel, Kalutara.
Apart from Sri Lankan officials, academics and professionals, foreign delegates participating in the workshop included scholars and practitioners from China, India, Pakistan and the United States.
Prof. Peiris identified basic causes of instability in the region and commented on practical solutions. Among the issues he dealt with in his address as Chief Guest were the impact of foreign intervention on the growth of fundamentalism, the long term effects of arming of rebel groups for political purposes, the need to address as a matter of priority the exclusion of marginalized groups leading to perceptions of alienation and recourse to violence, the importance of social equity in the enjoyment of benefits of economic development, affirmative action programmes and innovative approaches to the provision of resources for self-employment, modalities for bringing about social cohesion and the importance of measures at the international level for ensuring access for exports from the developing world into established markets. He explained the making of public policy in Sri Lanka in relation to these factors as a means of promoting the objectives of social harmony and solidarity.
The keynote address was delivered by Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Indian Minister and present Member of Parliament. Among other speakers were Mr. Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, High Commissioner of India, Major General (Retd.) Qasim Qureshi, High Commissioner of Pakistan, Professor P.R. Chari of the University of Delhi, Professor Stephen P. Cohen, Professor of Political Science and History at the University of Illinois, Professor R. Rajaraman who has taught at Cornell and Princeton Universities, and Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo.
Ministry of External Affairs
Colombo
19 September 2014
