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| Sunday, 13 April 2003 |
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Iraq issue : FM keen to reform UN by Ananth Palakidnar Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando in a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has reiterated Sri Lanka's support to the UN initiatives to prepare a programme of reconstruction and rehabilitation for war ravaged Iraq. Minister Fernando has also categorically stated that the control of the people of Iraq over their country's resources must be ensured. The message of Minister Fernando to the Secretary General is as follows: "Whatever the impact that developments in Iraq has had on the United Nations in the recent past, our emphasis now must be on the future and how we can together, shape international relations in a manner that would ensure that the organisation will not only overcome any adverse effect that may have been caused to its credibility, but also enhance its strength and viability to deal with what lies ahead - not least in Iraq and the region with which Sri Lanka has had long and enduring relations. I am glad that the security council, has through an act of unanimity, adopted a resolution to revive the oil for food programme. "Recrimination about the past should not affect our work for the future. If the UN Charter is not a perfect document, it has nevertheless for over half a century, provided international legitimacy for collective efforts in common causes. It must not be diminished. We must, need be reform the UN, not deform it". |
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