EU - Lanka to continue talks

The Sri Lankan government and the European Union (EU) have agreed to meet again for further discussions following preliminary talks held in Brussels this week on continuing with the GSP plus facility, a EU spokesman told Daily Mirror online. EU Trade Spokesman John Clancy said the delegation of high-level Sri Lankan officials held a preliminary exchange of views with European Commission officials following the announcement by the EU on 15th February of the decision for the temporary withdrawal of GSP+ benefits from Sri Lanka. The delegation led by Romesh Jayasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with Commisisoner De Gucht and held a preliminary exchange of views. The EU spokesman however refused to elaborate further on what was discussed and if the talks so far were fruitful.  "The Commission remains committed to work with Sri Lanka to see whether the conditions for a reversal of such a decision are in place as a result of significant improvements on the effective implementation of the human rights conventions at issue. The Sri Lankans and EU counterparts agreed to meet again," John Clancy told Daily Mirror online via email.   http://www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/2430-eu-lanka-to-continue-talks.html