Sri Lanka to allow diplomats access to north

Sri Lanka announced Tuesday that clearance would no longer be required for diplomats and international and local non-governmental agency workers to travel to the north.

However, prior permission would still be required for them to have meetings with the military and visit military installations, said the ministry of defense.

The latest decision followed last week's relaxation of restrictions imposed on foreign passport holders to travel to the former war zone areas in the north.

The ministry of defense said that stringent travel restrictions are no longer required in view of the prevailing peaceful environment.

A bloody war between the Sri Lankan military and Tamil Tiger rebels ended in May 2009 and since then, several security restrictions have been gradually relaxed in the island nation.

Source:Xinhua

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