US eases restrictions on defense sales to SL

23 March 2012 03:36 am

The US announced that it has eased restrictions on defense sales to Sri Lanka to allow exports of equipment for aerial and maritime surveillance, media reports said.

The State Department enacted the changes with effect from Thursday. The new exceptions allow exports, on a case-by-case basis, of equipment such as, light aircraft, cameras, and related components.

The UN's top human rights body on Thursday has passed a US sponsored resolution calling on Sri Lanka to properly investigate alleged war crimes during its 26-year conflict with the Tamil Tigers.

The department said the two developments were unrelated.

The export restrictions date back to the start of the civil conflict in the 1980s.