Govt. fears UK’s travel advisory could trigger ‘copy cat’ advisories

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Govt. fears UK’s travel advisory could trigger ‘copy cat’ advisories

By Leon Berenger

The Government yesterday expressed fear that more countries would take up a ‘copy cat’ attitude and issue adverse travel advisories which puts the country in poor light, following a damning note from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office in London on Sri Lanka, a senior official of the External Affairs Ministry (EAM) said yesterday.

EAM Secretary Karunatilleke Amunugama told the Sunday Times that heads of foreign missions will be shortly apprised of the true ground situation in the country, with the end of fighting between the security forces and the separatist Tamil Tigers in 2009.“The foreign missions will be told to brief their respective governments accordingly, as it was now safe to travel to any part of the country with all previous restrictions removed,” Mr. Amunugama said.

“What is feared most at present, following this travel advisory is that, other nations may come up with copy cat notes, thereby damaging the image of the country and the tourism industry,” he said.

The UK travel advisory put out on August 14, was updated on Thursday (23), sans any amendments, despite talks between EA Minister G.L. Peiris and British High Commissioner in Colombo, John Rankin on Monday (20).

He added that Minister Peiris is also likely to take the matter up directly with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London shortly and Colombo’s envoy in London Chris Nonis has been directed to keep in touch with the relevant local officials.