UN Summit begins
 

From Jayatilleke de Silva in New York

Over 175 Heads of State and Government participated in the historic High Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations that opened here at 9.30 a.m. New York time yesterday.

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is scheduled to address the Plenary Meeting on Thursday in the afternoon session.

The session co-chaired by President Omar Bongo Ondima of Gabon and Prime Minister Goran Persson of Sweden will take major decisions on ending poverty, promoting human rights, fighting terrorism and help countries recover from deadly conflict.

During the summit Heads of State and Government would have the opportunity to sign, ratify or accede to several international conventions relating inter alia to human rights, terrorism, environment and disarmament.

The recently adopted International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism was officially opened for signature yesterday morning. US President George W Bush hosted the International Launch of the United Nations Democracy Fund yesterday. President Kumaratunga attended the ceremony.

Other important items in the agenda of the UN General Assembly are the reform of the United Nations including the establishment of a Human Rights Council directly under the General Assembly and the establishment of Peace building Commission.

President Kumaratunga is also expected to have bilateral meetings with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Under Secretary General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Karin Sham Poo, Director-General International Labour Organization Juan Somavia, Prime Minister of Norway and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia.

She will also address the Asia Society under the theme 'For Larger Freedom: Pursuit of Peace in Sri Lanka.' President Kumaratunga is also scheduled to meet Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the EU Commission since November 2004. Barroso was Prime Minister of Portugal in 2002.