Sri Lanka recalls 50 diplomats from foreign missions

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry has recalled at least 50 diplomats from Sri Lankan missions overseas including 27 heads of the missions.

A government source had told Xinhua that among those recalled are Sri Lanka's ambassadors to the United Nations based in New York, Pakistan and Japan and the high commissioner to Australia.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera recalled the diplomats Monday on the basis that some of them were political appointments and some non-career diplomats.

The government source said that among those recalled as part of the restructuring process, some are relatives of the ministers of the former government who were serving in diplomatic missions overseas.

In all, the Foreign Ministry recalled 27 heads of the missions, three non-career, Consul General level officials and 23 non-career, non-head of mission level officials.

The move came as the government of President Maithripala Sirisena who took office after winning elections last month by defeating former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, looks to restructure its foreign service.

President Maithripala Sirisena said recently that the new Sri Lankan government will look to maintain friendly ties with all countries. Enditem