India and Sri Lanka agreed to release fishermen in each others' custody, a joint statement said on Monday, a move that is likely to ease tensions between the countries which have held fishermen captive for crossing territorial waters.
After ministerial level talks in Colombo, Sri Lanka reiterated its demand to end the practice of bottom trawling, a technique that involves sweeping the sea bed for fish, and India gave assurances that it would gradually phase it out., REUTERS reported.
It was not immediately clear from the statement issued by the two governments and published on the website of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs how many fishermen were being held by either side, or for how long they had been detained.
Pakistan released 220 Indian fishermen in December as a goodwill gesture aimed at easing tensions with its neighbour.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea states that fishermen who cross territorial waters can be warned and fined but not arrested.
Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinghe, arrested on allegation of corruption by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has been remanded until July 1 by the Colombo Magistrate court.
Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Stabilization and NPP National List MP Harshana Suriyapperuma who is tipped to be named the next Finance Ministry Secretary resigned from Parliament today.
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