| The European Union has taken note of the relaxing of emergency regulations in Sri Lanka, as well as the recent Presidential pardon granted to jailed journalist J. S. Tissainayagam.
The EU’s sentiments were reflected by Bernard Savage, European Union Head of Delegation in Colombo, even as a high-level delegation prepares to leave for Brussels for further discussions aimed at ending the EU’s suspension of Sri Lanka’s GSP+ preferential trade status.
In February, the European Commission of Trade announced that EU member states had temporarily withdrawn GSP+ for Sri Lanka. GSP + is a system of preferential tariff benefits given to countries as a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance.
Mr. Savage said the developments in Sri Lanka were positive, and that they would be “part of the discussions, and will be noted by us.”
The delegation comprises the Attorney-General, Mohan Peiris, PC; the Secretary to the Treasury, P. B. Jayasundera; the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Suhada Gamlath, and the Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs (Foreign), Romesh Jayasinghe.
This will be the delegation’s second visit to Brussels this year. They will update EU officials on progress made with regard to issues on which the EU expects to see progress if Sri Lankan wished to retain its GSP + status beyond August 2010.
Ravinath Aryasinha, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Brussels, told the Sunday Times that the talks would be a continuation of the first round of discussions, held in March. He said the attitude on both sides was “very positive.”
The EU says the GSP+ issue is being used as an incentive to improve the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The organisation says the suspension would take effect in six months, giving Sri Lanka extra time to address the EU-identified issue.
The Sri Lanka government says the lifting of some emergency laws earlier this month, the pardon for journalist Tissainayagam, and the announcement of a Reconciliation Commission are not linked to the GSP + issue. However, an October 2009 EU report on Sri Lanka and GSP+, was critical of the country’s emergency regulations, and cited the sentencing of journalist Tissainayagam as an instance of laws being wrongly used.
Referring to the state’s announcement of the Reconciliation Commission, Mr. Savage said any attempts at reconciliation were positive, adding that the EU was awaiting full details of the Commission and its work. |
E-mail
