Viewpoint by Sudarshan Reddy Kodooru The author is Convener of the Asia Pacific Faith-based Coalition (APFC*) for Sustainable Development and Regional Director, Faith & Development, East Asia at World Vision International. The following is based on his speech during APFC’s first annual meeting on August 29-31, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. – The Editor BANGKOK (IDN) […]
A Mountain to Climb Before December UN Climate Summit
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN (IDN) – Despite growing calls for urgent and strong climate change action, a crucial round of talks concluded in Bangkok on September 9 with what UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa has termed “uneven progress”. The Chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group, Gebru Jember Endalew of Ethiopia finds […]
U.S. Continues Iran Bashing as Trump Prepares to Chair Security Council
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley has announced that President Donald Trump will chair a Security Council meeting on Iran later this month to spotlight its “violations of international law” during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly. Haley who holds the Council’s rotating monthly presidency said, Trump will […]
Foreigners Suspected of Using Rohingyas to Destabilise Region
By Kalinga Seneviratne SINGAPORE (IDN) – The Myanmar government has slammed a ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) declaring that they have jurisdiction to investigate the deportation of Rhoyingya Muslims as a possible crime against humanity. In a statement, Myanmar’s President Win Myint dismissed September 6 ICC ruling as based on “faulty procedure” and […]
Kudos for Kazakhstan’s ‘Leading Role’ as UN General Assembly Campaigns for Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – The International Day against Nuclear Tests (IDANT) has been observed around the world on August 29 since 2010. A new element was added this year when President of the 72nd session of the General Assembly, Miroslav Lajčák, convened a high-level plenary meeting on September 6 “to commemorate […]
Global Ban on Killer Robots Vital for Ensuring Human Control over Weapons of War
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – The widespread deployment of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) – commonly known as “killer robots” – capable of operating with minimal human oversight, is likely to transform the future battlefield, accelerating the pace of fighting and delegating many critical battle decisions to machines, the Arms Control Association (ACA) […]
Test-Ban Treaty Will Produce Tangible Benefits for Humankind
Viewpoint by Dr Lassina Zerbo NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – In a keynote address at the High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly to commemorate and promote the International Day Against Nuclear Test on September 6, 2018, CTBTO Executive Secretary Dr Lassina Zerbo exhorted “all countries – small and large – that have not yet signed […]
Sri Lanka Takes Over Presidency of a Landmark Convention Calling for ‘A World Free of Cluster Munition’
By Jamshed Baruah GENEVA (IDN) – Sri Lanka has taken over the Presidency of the landmark Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) ten years after it was adopted, at the end of the Eighth Meeting of States Parties (8MSP) in Geneva from September 3-5, 2018. CCM is a legally binding international treaty that prohibits all use, […]
China and Sri Lanka: A History that Stretches Back into the Mists of Time – Trade, Religion and Diplomacy – 2
Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona The writer of this 2-part series is former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, former Foreign Secretary and former Head of the UN Treaty Section. The articles are based on a talk on ‘China and Sri Lanka: A History that Stretches Back into the Mists of Time […]
China and Sri Lanka: A History that Stretches Back into the Mists of Time – Trade, Religion and Diplomacy – 1
Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona The writer of this 2-part series is former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, former Foreign Secretary and former Head of the UN Treaty Section. The articles are based on a talk on ‘China and Sri Lanka: A History that Stretches Back into the Mists of Time […]