Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2013-10-10

Visit of His Excellency the President to New York, USA for the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly - September 2013

- Hon. (Prof.) G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, presented the Report to the Cabinet on the above visit of His Excellency the President. In his address to the General Assembly, His Excellency stressed inter alia, the need to protect and abide by the principle of equal treatment of countries as the bedrock of all international interactions. H.E. the President explained the salutary accomplishments of Sri Lanka in the socio economic sphere, made despite the 2004 Tsunami, global financial meltdown and a protracted conflict. He also called upon the United Nations to declare an International Skills Day. He stated that the Northern Provincial Council Election was held after the lapse of almost a quarter of century and emphasized its importance in the context of political empowerment and reconciliation and stressed that it is clearly the responsibility of the international communities to assist with these efforts and ensure their success for the benefit of all the people in the country. H.E. the President in conclusion, referred to the disproportionate emphasis on Sri Lanka and the unequal treatment through the multilateral framework while questioning the basis for this relentless pursuit despite the country's consistent engagement with the UN mechanisms and the visible progress made. H.E. the President also took this opportunity to conduct bilateral meetings with several Heads of Governments and the Secretaries General of the United Nations and the Commonwealth.