00:00Sir, my first question would be about your views on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
00:05The situation appears to be worsening by the day and the conflict is deepening.
00:10What is your first reaction to it, sir?
00:16The conflict in the Middle East, I sincerely believe, is an existential threat to international peace and security.
00:28It is vital that all members of the international community, the global community as a whole, speak with one voice.
00:44Enough of war and violence.
00:49We need everyone to come to the negotiation table.
00:55Talks should prevail over conflict.
01:03War as an instrument of policy should not be promoted and prioritized and encouraged.
01:12We as a country are facing multifarious challenges.
01:22We are in a very vulnerable situation, having gone through quadruple tragedies and disasters.
01:31The Easter Sunday conflict, bankruptcy, Corona COVID, the Dittwa cyclone.
01:39And this is the fifth successive global tragedy, an international tragedy.
01:49And also it has become a domestic tragedy.
01:53And we have to ensure that we somehow insulate our people from the shocks that emanate from this crisis.
02:03This is the same for the rest of the members of the international community.
02:07So, pacific resolution of disputes, peaceful resolution of disputes, must be encouraged and promoted.
02:20This is of indispensable importance to ensure global peace, progress and prosperity.
02:33So, the conflict has also reached our region.
02:37An Iranian ship was torpedoed by a US submarine in the waters near Sri Lanka and India.
02:43Sri Lanka has rescued Iranian naval personnel and two remaining Iranian vessels are now docked along Indian and Sri Lankan
02:52coasts.
02:52What do you make of this entire episode that happened in our region, sir?
03:02We have to ensure that in the conduct of international relations and governmental policies,
03:14that we adhere to the highest standards of ethics and morality.
03:21We have to ensure that we abide by the norms, conventions, customs and also prescriptions provided by international law and
03:32international humanitarian law.
03:34What we have in this conflict today is the prevalence of unilateralism over multilateralism.
03:48So, Sri Lanka, as I told you before, is facing multiple challenges.
03:59And we are a risk-prone country at this particular junction.
04:06As such, we need to protect our interests, our national interests, and also the interests of 22 million people.
04:18While at the same time, we have to adhere to the highest standards of ethics and morality, adhering to the
04:31prescriptions of international law.
04:34So, this attack took place beyond our territorial waters, that is, beyond the 12 nautical miles of territorial waters.
04:47But it was within our exclusive economic zone.
04:54And, in fact, this is an occurrence that is a threat to international peace and security, particularly in a zone
05:06that has been declared free of conflict.
05:10And, of course, free of nuclear weapons.
05:14So, bringing all these viewpoints and suggestions, we need to ensure that, as a country, as a proud sovereign country,
05:29we have to articulate ourselves to ensure that we follow the twin objectives of, on the one hand, protecting us.
05:40In our national interest.
05:41And also, on the other hand, abiding by the prescriptions of international law.
05:50Sir, you mentioned about the unilateral actions.
05:54There are now reports that are coming out that United States is pressing Sri Lankan government not to repatriate the
06:01survivors of the Iranian warship that sank, as well as the crew of a second ship.
06:10That are, that is in the, that is, that are there.
06:13How do you want to react to these reports that are coming out, sir?
06:21Initially, news reports suggested regarding this issue.
06:30However, I think the United States administration, or let me say administrative sources, have apparently told Sri Lanka that Sri
06:45Lanka has the freedom to decide as to what policies Sri Lanka should adopt with regard to the vessels, and
06:56also the sales.
07:00Of course, I believe that from a position of neutrality, which has been Sri Lanka's position, we need to follow
07:15international agreements and conventions.
07:18You know very well, the Hague Convention with regard to neutrality.
07:25The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
07:28The multiplicity of Geneva Conventions.
07:35Conventions against torture.
07:40Conventions with regard to refugees.
07:43So, there are multiple legal instruments that we have to adopt when considering this issue.
07:53So, I want to clarify previous reports of US pressure with regard to what action to take in terms of
08:07the personnel who entered Sri Lanka.
08:10I think those reports have been kind of corrected.
08:22And the United States have, apparently, the administration's sources have stated that Sri Lanka has the freedom to decide on
08:32the future of those personnel who were saved.
08:37So, you already mentioned Sri Lanka witnessed several crises in past few years.
08:42It is trying to revive its economy.
08:45But we are now witnessing the impact of the war.
08:50Oil prices have crossed USD 1110 per barrel for the first time since 2022.
08:58As well as global stock markets are reacting very sharply.
09:03What impact do you see this war is having on Sri Lanka?
09:07And are you witnessing any kind of impact, economic impact, so to say, sir?
09:12The oil price hikes, the downturns in the stock markets, the general economic insecurity that is created,
09:28issues with regard to energy security, food security, these will have a direct impact, a direct detrimental impact on the
09:41lives of all Sri Lankans.
09:43This is why we, as members of the Global South, we cannot stay silent as spectators while this cataclysmic event,
09:58the Middle East war, is taking place.
10:02Because this war will have catastrophic consequences for all nation states, including Sri Lanka.
10:13The vulnerable sectors of society will be impacted the worst.
10:21The children, the children, mothers, women, youth, disabled, unemployed, those who are already suffering from poverty and deprivation.
10:37They will suffer the most.
10:39So it's imperative that Sri Lanka and all of the other members of the Global South, that we initiate an
10:54international effort to persuade parties to the conflict, to talk, rather than use war as an instrument of policy.
11:08This is very important.
11:11And it is of utmost importance.
11:14Day by day, scarcities are created and vulnerable sectors of society will suffer to a great extent.
11:27Most will end up being in hunger.
11:31And this is not what we want for our people.
11:36So you have mentioned that the countries in Global South cannot sit silence.
11:41What role do you, like, do you see countries like Sri Lanka and India playing in this conflict?
11:48What role can they play?
11:51I think His Excellency, the Prime Minister of India, Sri Modi, has a wonderful opportunity to use the good offices
12:06of India as a powerful nation state to make an impact in international affairs and world affairs.
12:18For the greater good of humankind.
12:23I believe India possesses adequate power and influence to ensure that parties to the conflict come to a discussion table
12:38and talk over the viewpoints.
12:45What role can they do?
12:46Which they have in terms of the major issues that are dominating?
12:50Because the war commenced.
12:54And the reason that was given was nuclear proliferation.
12:59So I think it's high time that there was an immediate cessation of hostilities.
13:10Consider the greater good of humankind.
13:12Because peace is vital for global prosperity and prosperity of nation states.
13:21And it is very important that we use this opportunity to promote peace.
13:28And I believe Sri Modi, His Excellency, the Prime Minister of India, has a unique opportunity to be the statesman
13:40who promotes peace.
13:43As a statesman who can push the warring countries towards a middle of the path approach to issues which they
14:00have major disagreements on.
14:03Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka, too, cannot be a mere spectator.
14:10We can't be a mere observer.
14:13We should use our talents, our capabilities, and the unique skills that we possess as a nation state to promote
14:28peacemaking, to promote conflict resolution.
14:33We ourselves are a country that has been victims of more than three decades long conflict.
14:45And we ourselves realize the importance of peace.
14:50The value of peace to promote progress and prosperity.
14:55So as such, Sri Lanka, however much vulnerable we are, we also have a very, very important role to play
15:06in bringing about peace and reconciliation.
15:13And most important of all, talks is the way to go forward, not conflict.
15:24Finally, sir, I just want to ask you, there are questions being raised about the role of United Nations, whether
15:31multilateral systems are becoming increasingly ineffective in preventing or resolving such conflicts that are arising around the world.
15:40Do you agree with this thought?
15:41And how do you see the role of global institutions such as UN in this situation, sir?
15:50The United Nations system of global governance emanated from the post-World War II period, and it was a structure
16:06that was established with prescriptive norms, norms that would deprive the use of force, Article 2.4.
16:18Norms that would prevent intervention in the internal affairs of a state, Article 2.7.
16:27Use of force only for self-defense, Article 51.
16:32So these norms were initiated and formulated to promote international peace and security.
16:44And we have to give credit to the fact that there has not been any major world wars in the
16:53post-World War II period up to this date.
16:56But the danger of the present war is the fact that it could convert itself into the furtherance of global
17:14power competition amongst the great powers, the superpowers.
17:23And it could be a continuation of the cold war.
17:28And it could be a continuation of the cold war, in fact, transforming the cold war into a hot war,
17:31which is very, very scary, which I believe would be apocalyptic.
17:40And it is very important that we avoid that to the greatest possible extent.
17:46We have to abide by the provisions, the prescriptions that are provided by the United Nations Charter.
17:56The United Nations Charter has established an international regime of rules, regulations, norms, which protect members of the international community,
18:13nation states in the global community.
18:15And we must ensure that the United Nations Charter provisions are protected and enhanced to the greatest possible extent.
18:27The United Nations Charter, which is why I have been an open proponent of India being made a permanent member
18:44in the United Nations Security Council.
18:48As you know very well, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council right now, they have the major
18:58enforcement powers of the UN system.
19:01And I certainly think that a peace-loving country such as India must be given its due place because it's
19:11a very pragmatic and realistic reflection of global power realities.
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