Foreign Service officials have protested to Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama about moves to further reduce Foreign Service staff for overseas appointments.
This comes amidst reports that Foreign Service vacancies are being filled by political appointments or personnel from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS).
The protest came in the wake of plans to amalgamate the SLAS with the Foreign Service where more SLAS staff would be officially entitled for appointments in Sri Lankan missions overseas.
Representatives of the Foreign Service Officers Association on Friday met with the Minister to lodge their protest. They are also seeking an appointment with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
An official said the amalgamation of the two services and more political appointments would reduce the quality of the Foreign Service. He pointed out that according to a cabinet paper submitted in 2006, five SLAS officials were permitted to be appointed for appointments in missions overseas, but already there were more than five SLAS officials, in addition to a host of other political appointments.
He said at present, there were 94 officers from the Foreign Service as against 93 staff members outside the foreign service in Sri Lankan missions overseas.
At least 20 currently serving Ambassadors or High Commissioners are non-career diplomats.
Some of the SLAS officials had served more than one term. | 
E-mail