Sri Lanka would continue to engage with EU over GSP Plus

Sri Lanka values her longstanding relations with the EU and will therefore continue her engagement with it in the upcoming six months with a view to obtain a timely reversal of the temporary suspension of the GSP plus facility, said a statement of the Foreign Ministry issued yesterday.

"The Sri Lanka Government wishes to point out that the purposefulness of such an engagement would be considerably heightened, if both parties were to act with sincerity and in a manner respectful of one another.

The setting of unattainable targets and the shifting of goal posts will only hamper the efforts of the parties. The engagement will also need to be sensitive to the sovereign prerogative of the people of Sri Lanka, to chart their nation's course," the statement further said.