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| Friday, 12 March 2004 |
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Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando has authorised Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN, C. Mahendran to sign on behalf of Sri Lanka, the UN Convention against Corruption, which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on Oct 31, 2003 at UN Headquarters in New York. This signifies the country's commitment to prevent and combat corruption effectively a Foreign Ministry Media release said yesterday. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had earlier decided to move Sri Lanka into the UN Protocol against Corruption to wipe out the trend of corruption in the country. Immediate steps have be taken to make Sri Lanka a party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, Media spokesman for the People's Alliance Sarath Amunugama told a media conference yesterday. Amunugama said questions had been raised in many quarters about Sri Lanka's non-participation in endorsing an Action Plan for the Asia Pacific region to fight corruption, at the fourth regional meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and at the Organisation for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD). The Convention is aimed at the effective prevention and combating of the problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, which in turn undermine the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardize sustainable development and the rule of law. During the drafting process, Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Vienna Mr. D. L. Mendis had made a significant contribution at the Sixth and Seventh negotiating sessions of the Convention held in Vienna in July and September 2003. Due to time constraints and the fact that the text of the Convention was under study by the relevant Ministries and Departments, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney Generals's Department, Sri Lanka could not sign the Convention during the inaugural signing, the Foreign Ministry said. State parties are required to adopt legislative and other measures dealing with bribery of national and foreign public officials, embezzlement, misappropriation or other diversion of property by a public official; trading in information; the abuse of functions; illicit enrichment; bribery and embezzlement of property in the private sector; laundering of the proceeds of crime; freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of corruption. "At the earliest opportunity the Freedom Alliance will introduce domestic legislation in Parliament to reflect the objectives and principles of the UN Convention against Corruption," Amunugama said. |
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