Help Lanka to combat terrorism
Lankan group tells Japanese Govt
Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from Japan
OSAKA, Japan, Saturday - A group of Sri Lankans here has appealed to
the Japanese Government to play an active role in Sri Lanka's struggle
against terrorism.
The 'Lankans Against Terrorism' (LAT), a group of Sri Lankan
expatriates, in Japan, has called upon the Government of Japan to play a
greater role in Sri Lanka's battle against terrorism and achieve a
lasting peace.
"We appreciate Japan's role as one of the Co-Chairs in the peace
process. Japan has been Sri Lanka's premier donor country. But we feel,
a powerful Asian country such as Japan could play even a greater role at
a time Sri Lanka is fighting against terrorism," a spokesman for the 'Lankans
Against Terrorism' said.
He said that Japan could put greater pressure on the LTTE and force
the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to the peace table. "Japan is an
influential regional giant. We hope that Japan would treat terrorism in
Sri Lanka, similar to that of the US and UK or any other European
country. It is important that Asian countries such as Japan and India
extend a greater backing to the Lankan Government in its battle against
the LTTE, especially to liberate innocent civilians from the clutches of
ruthless LTTE rule," he said.
"On the other hand, the Japanese government has continued its big aid
packages to Sri Lanka despite interferences, for which we are grateful,"
the LAT spokesman said.
The LAT appeal comes on the eve of the 19th UN Conference on
Disarmament Issues which will be held in Sapporo City from tomorrow till
August 29 under the auspices of the United Nations Department for
Disarmament Affairs and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and
Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific in cooperation with the Hokkaido
Prefectural Government, Sapporo City, and Japan's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
High Representative for Disarmament of the United Nations, Sergio de
Queiroz Duarte, which will host the conference, will be present.
The conference will also be attended by Takeshi Nakane,
Director-General of the Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science
Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sumio Tarui, Ambassador of
Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, Yukiya Amano, Ambassador of the
Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organisations in Vienna,
other officials and also intellectuals from Japan and other countries in
a private capacity.
In a special session to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the
entry-into-force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Rogelio
Pfirter, Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), will
deliver the keynote address.
The theme of the conference in Sapporo is the "New Vision and
Required Leadership towards a World free from Nuclear Weapons and Other
Weapons of Mass Destruction."
Issues such as nuclear non-proliferation regime, nuclear programs of
North Korea and Iran, nuclear blackmarket, multinational efforts for
nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation will be discussed from various
points of view.
In June, Foreign Secretary and former Secretary General of the
Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process, Dr. Palitha Kohona met
Ambassador Yasushi Akashi and discussed the overall assessment of the
situation in the North and East, the Government - LTTE relationship,
future talks, the current status of the peace process, the humanitarian
situation in the East, the conduct of the Commission of Inquiry and
IIGEP and the Co-Chairs.
During the discussion, Ambassador Akashi expressed appreciation of
the Government's continued commitment towards achieving peace and its
active engagement with the political parties in Sri Lanka towards
building consensus for a comprehensive political framework.
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