Statement by Hon. Tilak Marapana, P.C. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and Leader  of the Sri Lanka Delegation to the 40^th Session of the Human Rights Council on Agenda Item 2 -Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on ‘Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka: 20 March 2019 – Geneva.

Mr. President,

Madam High Commissioner/Deputy High Commissioner,

Members of the Council and Delegates to the 40th Session of HRC,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am pleased to be at the 40^th Session of the HRC to share Sri Lanka’s significant progress on human rights since the last review in 2017. I am joined by my parliamentary colleague Hon. (Dr) Sarath Amunugama, the Governor of the Northern Province Hon (Dr) Suren Raghavan, senior government officials including Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, and Permanent Representative Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez.

Sri Lanka’s engagement  in these Council sessions is in keeping with our government’s vision for a country that embodies the universal values of human rights, justice, rule of law and good governance, while striving to eradicate poverty and ensure economic dividends to all – providing the people a fundamental assurance of security and a sustainable future.

Read more: Statement by Hon. Tilak Marapana, P.C. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and Leader of the Sri Lanka Delegation to the 40th Session of the Human Rights Council on Agenda Item 2

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa together with the Hilda Jayewardenaramaya, Ottawa Buddhist Vihara, the Ottawa Theravada Buddhist Vihara and the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Ottawa held an awareness forum titled “Why the Thripitaka needs to be a World Heritage” on Saturday, 16th March 2019 at the Ottawa Masonic Centre.

The programme commenced with the observance of the five precepts followed by an address by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagama. In his address, High Commissioner Girihagama outlined the background of the forum and the efforts by the Government of Sri Lanka in making the Thripitaka a World Heritage. He stated that the Government of Sri Lanka had taken action to submit the application to the UNESCO to make the Tripitaka a world heritage which would be considered at an appropriate session at the UNESCO in the near future.

Read more: The Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa holds an awareness forum titled “Why the Thripitaka needs to be a World Heritage”

A four member delegation from the Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Armed Forces visited Canada on a peacekeeping training programme initiated by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Ottawa and the Department of National Defense, Canada from 6-8th March 2019 in Canada.

The delegation visited National defence Headquarters and Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa and the Canadian Armed Forces, Peace Support Training Centre and the 1st Canadian Division/Disaster Assistance Response Team in Kingston during their stay.

The 5^th meeting of the Joint Readmission Committee between Sri Lanka and the European Community was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombo on 11^th March 2019.

The Meeting was co-chaired by Additional Secretary (Multilateral Affairs), Ahmed A. Jawad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Head of Unit of Irregular Migration and Return Policy, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG-Home) of the European Commission, Dan Rotenberg.

The Agreement between the European Community and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on the Readmission of Persons Residing without Authorisation, was signed on the 4^th of June 2004 and entered into force on 1^st May 2005.  It was part of an initiative to combat illegal migration and was also an indication of the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka and the European Community to combat all forms of organized crimes.  The Agreement also guarantees the safe and orderly return of illegal migrants and failed asylum seekers back to their country of origin.

The discussions were held in a very cordial atmosphere with both Parties pledging support in fulfilling the obligations under the Agreement.

Read more: 5TH Meeting of Sri Lanka - European Commission Joint Readmission Committee

Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana said that the prime duty of Sri Lankan Defence Attachés assigned to Sri Lanka Missions overseas is to serve the country and its people and that they should be mindful of the fact that they are 'there to serve and not to be served'.

Foreign Minister Marapana made these remarks attending as the chief guest of the certificate awarding ceremony of the Intensive Training Programme for military officers who would be assigned as Defence Attachés/ Advisors in Sri Lanka Missions overseas, organized by the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI), the training arm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The certificate awarding ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday (08 March). The participating military officers received their certificates from Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana upon successful completion of the training programme.

The Intensive Training Programme, which was conducted at the BIDTI from 18 February to 07 March 2019, was attended by thirty (30) officers from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Air Force and the Sri Lanka Navy, who would be assigned as Defence Attachés/ Advisors in Sri Lanka Missions overseas in the near future.

This was the first time that the BIDTI conducted a Training Programme for prospective Defence Attachés/ Advisors of Sri Lanka.

Read more: Foreign Minister Marapana underlines that the prime duty of Sri Lankan Defence Attachés is to serve the country and its people

Upon the signing of the Agreement by H.E. Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Albert Shingiro, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Burundi to the United Nations on 11^th March 2019 in New York, the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Burundi decided to establish Diplomatic Relations between the two countries with effect from 11^th March 2019.

The establishment of diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and Burundi would enhance the existing friendly relations and cooperation in the political, socio-economic and cultural fields for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to advance and broaden the scope of the bilateral engagement with Cyprus, when he met the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Christodoulides for discussions last week. This was the first official visit to Cyprus undertaken by a Sri Lankan Foreign Minister since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1963.

During the visit, he called on H.E. Nicos Anastasiades, President of the Republic of Cyprus, and met with the Minister of Labour, Welfare, and Social Insurance Zeta Emilianidou. Foreign Ministers Marapana and Christodoulides together, inaugurated the office of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Nicosia at a formal ceremony on 28 February 2019.

The discussions between Minister Marapana and his Cypriot counterpart Christodoulides reviewed ongoing bilateral activities with a special focus on increasing cooperation in the labour, tourism, education and agriculture sectors, including SMEs development.  Foreign Minister Christodoulides assured Minister Marapana that the Government of Cyprus was ready to address and resolve key outstanding matters related to Sri Lankan workers employed in Cyprus. Both sides welcomed the proposal to convene political consultations in January 2020 to review progress in the agreed areas of enhanced cooperation.

Read more: Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana reaffirms commitment to consolidate the Sri Lanka –Cyprus bilateral engagement and officially inaugurates the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Nicosia