OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü (centre), Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen (right) and A.H.M. Fowzie, Minister of Economic Development, both of Sri Lanka, at the opening of the Regional Meeting of CWC States Parties in Asia.
Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü visited Colombo from 25 to 27 June 2012 where he was received by the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa, and had meetings with the Senior Minister for Urban Affairs, Hon. A.H.M. Fowzie, the Minister of Economic Development, Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, and the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen.
In his meetings the Director-General commended Sri Lanka for its firm commitment to the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and for its support to the work of the OPCW. He updated the Speaker and the Ministers on global implementation of the Convention and on preparations for the Third Review Conference in April 2013, stressing the importance of States Parties’ involvement in that process. His interlocutors reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to the Convention and continuing support for the OPCW, and assured the Director-General that Sri Lanka would contribute to a positive outcome for the Conference.
The Director-General also discussed regional and national issues related to CWC implementation and the evolution of the OPCW’s activities as destruction of existing chemical weapons stockpiles progresses towards completion in coming years.
During his stay in Sri Lanka the Director-General addressed a gathering at the Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and spoke to a group of academics, officers and students at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), a university that offers graduate courses in defence studies, among others.
The Director-General also delivered remarks [PDF – 30 KB] to the opening ceremony of the Tenth Regional Meeting of CWC National Authorities from States Parties in Asia, which was jointly organised by the OPCW and Government of Sri Lanka. Hon. Ministers Fowzie and Bathiudeen, as well as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Buddhi Athauda, attended the opening ceremony.