Sri Lanka will present a roadmap at the 62nd UN General Assembly beginning in New York today to counter terrorism, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. “We will present a roadmap to counter terrorism during the UN sessions. Through this we would like to show our experience and our commitment to counter terrorism,” Minister Bogollagama said while addressing a select group of journalists at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.

Briefing newsmen he also dismissed the reports that a ‘jumbo size’ delegation will accompany President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the sessions.

Minister Bogollagama said apart from himself and President Rajapaksa, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in New York, Prasad Kariyawasam are in the main delegation while Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, R.M.C.B. Rathnayake, T.B. Ekanayake will attend the sessions as alternate Representatives together with four other officials.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Champika Ranawaka will join the delegation for the programme on climate change on his way back from Ottawa, where he will be leading the Sri Lanka delegation at a conference of the parties to the Ozone Convention.

“There are reports that 85 members would be in the entourage while some report reported that 65 members are accompanying the President which are totally false”, the minister said, adding, such reports are being published to give an impression that some are going on a sight seeing tour.

The minister also said in addition to addressing the high level event at the General Assembly on September 25, President Rajapaksa will also make an intervention at a high level conference on climate change and will also meet several other heads of state including US President George W Bush and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

The Foreign Minister said during his stay in New York, he will attend a number of important meetings including SAARC, G77, Community of Democracies, Commonwealth, NAM Coordinating Bureau, G15 and ACD.

He will also hold over 20 bilateral meetings with his counterparts and meet with Heads of UN agencies and key officials of the UN Secretariat, as well as leading NGOs.

First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa will also attend a special programme arranged by the United Nations, including a luncheon hosted by Mrs. Laura Bush, wife of the US President and other events hosted by Madam Ban Soon-Taek, spouse of the UN Secretary General.

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