Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has arrived in New York to attend the 76th UN General Assembly (UNGA) Session, marking what will be his first address to the UNGA.
He arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport yesterday where he was greeted by Mohan Peiris, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations.
The Presidential Media Division has reported that other officials accompanying will include Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage.
It has been reported that Rajapaksa purposely selected a lower number of delegates to join the session after taking into consideration the current economic crisis on the island.
Rajapaksa has been a citizen of the US since 2003 but has been avoiding travel to America in his personal capacity given that he is implicated in the extra-judicial murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, the torture of Tamils and war crimes committed during the final stages of the armed struggle when he served as Defence Secretary - all of which are being pursued in US courts against him.
The President is proceeding to visit within his official capacity, as permitted under international law, in the guise of addressing the United Nations as head of state.
