Sri Lanka to complete SOP for foreign research vessels in two months: Minister

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka will complete the standard of procedure (SOP) for handling foreign research vessels within the next two months, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. Sri Lanka appointed a committee last year to draft SOP to handle foreign research vessels after arrivals of Chinese research vessels into the island nation’s shore were strongly opposed by the United States and India citing possible threat to the Indian Ocean. However, the government has not finalized the SOP yet. “It is still in the process,” Minister Herath told reporters at a media briefing when asked about the SOP. “Within two months, we…

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