President Emeritus of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), holds advanced degrees in Law and International Relations from the Universities of Ceylon, London and McGill, and is an Attorney-at-Law. He holds Diplomas in Aerospace Law and International and Comparative Law. He was formerly the Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Jasentuliyana is the author of the four-volume “Manual of Space Law”, Oceana (1979), “International Space Law and the United Nations”, Kluwer Law (1999), “International Space Programmes and Policies”, North-Holland (1984); and editor of “Space Law: Development and Scope”, Praeger (1991) and “Perspectives on International Law”, Kluwer (1995).He has been a visiting lecturer at Princeton, Stanford, Columbia and McGill. He is a Trustee of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), member of the Board of Directors of International Space University (ISU), and serves as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the “Journal of Space Policy”, published in the United Kingdom, and the “Journal of Space Law”, published in the United States. He was the Recipient of the 1982 Testimonial Award of International Astronautical Federation (IAF) awarded annually in the recognition of important contributions to space law and policy and the 1989 Leadership Award of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). He was selected by the United States National Space Society to its unique world-wide list of “100 space people who have had the greatest impact on our lives”.

Professional Background: Deputy Director-General, United Nations Office at Vienna (1994 to 1999); Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) (1988 to 1999); President, International Institute of Space Law (IISL) (1993 to date); Member, Board of Trustees of the International Space University (ISU); Member, Board of Directors of the International Institute of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, University of Leiden (1997-to date); Trustee, International Academy of Astronautics-IAA (1995- todate); Member of the Bureau of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF 1993- todate); Member of the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Space Policy (UK) and the Journal of Space Law (USA); Political Affairs Officer, Department of Political and Security Council Affairs, United Nations (1965 to 1988); Executive Secretary of the United Nations Conference on Nuclear Energy (UNPICPUNE) (1986-1987); Executive Secretary of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE) (1981-1982); Programme Officer, Asia Foundation (1962-1963); Attorney at Julius and Creasy Law Firm (1962).

Academic Experience: Visiting University Lecturer At Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, McGill; Senior Research Fellow, London University – University College (1975-1976); Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Space Policy (1985 to date); Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Space Law (1981 to date); Lecturer, Summer Course of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) at Universities of Perugia, Italy; Brest, France; Lapland, Finland; Aberdeen, Scotland; and Leiden, The Netherlands.

Publications – Books: Space Law and the United Nations, Kluwer Law International, UK (1999); Perspectives on International Law , Kluwer Law International (Ed., 1995); Manual on Space (four volumes), Oceana, New York (Ed., 1979); International Space Programmes and Policies , North-Holland, New York (Ed., 1984); Maintaining Space for Peaceful Purposes, United Nations University, Tokyo (1984); Space Law: Development and Scope , Praeger, New York (1991); Foreign Policy of Sri Lanka as reflected at the United Nations , Kluwer Law International, UK (Forthcoming).

Chapters in Books: The Development of Space Law from a Third World Perspective (Chapter 7), in V.S. Mani and S. Bhatt, Recent Trends in International Space Law and Policy , Lancers Books, New Delhi (1997); Future Perspectives of Space Law (Chapter 3), in Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel, Perspectives of Air Law, Space Law, and International Business Law for the Next Century , Carl Heymanns Verlag KG, Cologne (1995); The International Regulatory Regime for Satellite Communications: The Meaning for Developing Countries, in Ko Swan Sik et at, Asian Yearbook of International Law, Vol. 2, Kluwer Academic Publishers (1994); International Law of Outer Space, in Cambridge University Encyclopedia , Cambridge (1991); Remote Sensing and the Role of the United Nations (Chapter 15), in Michael Krepons, Commercial Observation Satellites and International Security , St. Martin Press, New York (1990); Priorities for International Protection of the Space Environment (Chapter 14), in Karl-Heinz Böcstiegel, Environment Aspects of Space Activities , Carl Heymanus and Verlag, Cologne (1989); Development of Peaceful Uses of Space Technology and International Law, in Josef Mrizek, The Role of Scientists in Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space, Academia Press, Prague (1988); Satellite Remote Sensing in Developing Countries: The Experience of West Africa (Chapter 16), in A.S. Bhalla, New Technologies and Development: Experience in Technology Blending , Lynne Rienner Publishers, London (1988); Conflict Resolution in Outer Space: New Approaches – Old Techniques (Part II, Chapter 1), in Rene Jean Dupuy, The Settlement of Disputes of the New Natural Resources , Martin Nijhoff, The Hague (1983); Implications of Space Surveillance: Strategic and Political Aspects (Chapter 8), in Mateesco Matte, Space Surveillance for Arms Control and Verification , Crasl, Montreal (1987); Space Weapons and International Law: A Critique of Existing Treaties (Chapter V), in Mateesco Matte, An Arms Race in Outer Space: Could Treaties Prevent It?, Crasl, Montreal (1985); Third World Perspectives of Space Technology, in Mateesco Matte, Space Activities and Implications at the Threshold of the 80’s , Carswell Co., Ltd., Toronto (1980).

Selected Journal Articles: Basic Space Science and Developing Countries, Space Policy, May 1998; Space Futures and Human Security, Journal of Space Policy , August 1997; The Role of Developing Countries in the Formulation of Space Law, Annals of Air and Space Law , Vol. XX-II (1995); Ensuring Equal Access to the Benefits of Space Technologies for All Countries, Journal of Space Policy , February 1994; Regulation of Space Salvage Operations: Possibilities for the Future, Journal of Space Law , Vol. 22, Nos. 1&2 (1994); Celebrating Fifty Years of the Chicago Convention Twenty-Five Years after the Moon Landing: Lessons for Space Law, Annals of Air and Space Law , Vol. XIX, Part II (1994); Space Commerce on Global Scale, Journal of Law and Technology , Vol. 5, No. 2 (1990); Article I of the Outer Space Treaty Revisited, Journal of Space Law , Vol. 15, No. 2 (1989); United Nations Principles of Remote Sensing: An Agreement in Economic Relations, Journal of Space Policy , Vol. 4, No. 4 (1988); Space and International Organizations, Proceedings of the American Political Science Association , Chicago (1987); United Nations Space Treaties and the Common Heritage Principle, Journal of Space Policy , Vol. 2, No. 4 (1986); Treaty Law and Outer Space, Proceedings of the American Society of International Law , Washington, DC (1980); United Nations and Space Weapons, Harvard International Review , Vol. III, No. 4 (1985); Developing Countries and the Geostationary Orbit, Journal of Space Policy , Vol. 1, No. 3 (1985); Space Communications – Issues and Policies, Proceedings of the American Society of International Law , Washington, DC (1983); Potential for Solar Power Satellites in Developing Countries, Solar Power Review , Vol. 4 (1983); Institutional Aspects of International Cooperation in Space Manufacturing, Proceedings of Princeton, University Conference on Space Manufacturing , Princeton (1980); Direct Television Broadcasting in the Third World, Columbia Journal of Transnational Law , Vol. 13, No. 1 (1974); Regulatory Functions of ITU in the Field of Space Telecommunication, Journal of Air Law and Commerce , Vol. 34, No. 1 (1968); International Space Law and Cooperation and the Mining of Asteroids, Annals of Air and Space Law , Vol. XV (1990); Multilateral Negotiations of the Use of Nuclear Power Source in Outer Space, Annals of Air and Space Law , Vol. XIV (1989); Civilian and Military Space Activities: A Third World Perspective, Annals of Air and Space Law , Vol. XII (1987); Treaty Law and Outer Space: Can UN Play an Effective Role?, Annals of Air and Space Law , Vol. XI (1986).

Honors and Awards: Selected by the United States National Space Society to its unique worldwide list of “100 space people who have had the greatest impact on our lives” (1992); Elected as an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) whose worldwide membership is limited to 1000 members (1990); Testimonial Award of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). Award given annually in recognition of important contributors to space law and policy (1982); Book Award of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) (1989); 1996 Elected Academician of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics (1996); Commonwealth Scholar McGill University, Canada (1963-1964); Editor, Ceylon Law College Review (1961); Ceylon Law College Scholarship for Standing First of the Order of Merit (1959); All Round Student of the Year, Richmond College (1958); Who’s Who in the World (1998); Who’s Who in International Organizations (1992); Who’s Who in the United Nations and Related Agencies.