SRI LANKA: PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING ARTICLE VII

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000413 SIPDIS THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM CE CWC OPCW SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING ARTICLE VII OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REF: STATE 28853 Poloff presented reftel demarche to Sumedha Ekanayake, Assistant Director for UN and Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on February 24. Ekanayake reported that his government has already set up a national authority and a full-time national coordinator in partial fulfillment of its obligations under Article VII of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The first draft of implementing legislation has been prepared and is scheduled for review by the National Coordinating Committee the first week of March. Ekanayake estimated that the legislation should be ready for presentation to the Cabinet by June. He emphasized that his government is well aware of the November 2005 deadline for compliance and has every expectation of meeting it. LUNSTEAD