ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT APPALLED BY BOMBING IN COLOMBO

5 March 1998

Press Release
GA/SM/33

ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT APPALLED BY BOMBING IN COLOMBO

19980305 The following statement was issued today by the spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine):

The President of the General Assembly was shocked to learn about the bomb explosion today in the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of a large number of innocent people, including children.

The President is appalled by this senseless act of violence against civilians that deserves unequivocal international condemnation. Recalling that in its recent resolution the Assembly strongly condemned all acts, methods and practices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, the Assembly President urges perpetrators of such attacks to break the vicious cycle of violence that only brings suffering to non-combatants while preventing a peaceful resolution of conflicts. In the aftermath of this tragedy, he also underscores the importance of the early entry into force of the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings adopted during the current session of the Assembly.

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