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Sri Lanka and the United States signed logistical agreement providing a framework for increased operability between the two countries. The Agreement valid for 10n years will allow Sri Lanka and the United States to transfer and exchange logistics supplies which include among others food, petroleum and transportation. However, the provision of weapons systems or ammunition is expressly prohibited under this agreement. The Agreement will also facilitate more effective cooperation in disaster relief and peacekeeping operations, according to a US Embassy press release issued yesterday. The release: "Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake signed a logistical agreement between the two countries, providing a framework for increased interoperability. The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) will allow the United States and Sri Lanka to transfer and exchange logistics supplies, support, and re-fueling services, either in kind or at cost, during peacekeeping missions, humanitarian operations and joint exercises. The United States has ACSA agreements with 89 other countries around the world. "The categories of allowable goods and services include food, petroleum, and transportation. The provision of weapons systems or ammunition is expressly prohibited under this agreement. Each nation's forces can support the other during contingencies, such as disaster relief or peacekeeping operations, which reduces the logistics requirement for each nation. "Logistics support allowed under this agreement cannot be transferred beyond the forces of the receiving party without consent of the providing party. The agreement will be in effect for ten years, and all transactions must be mutually agreed upon before any transfer is made". Explaining the agreement Ambassador Blake said: "ACSA will facilitate the exchange of non-lethal equipment, increase cooperation in the field and reduce the paperwork involved. For example, if the Sri Lankan Army had sent troops to assist in the Pakistani earthquake and needed winter coats for the soldiers, under ACSA the United States could provide those winter coats in exchange for fuel and foodstuffs the next time a U.S. vessel made a port call in Colombo. On-the-ground cooperation between our two armed forces was evident in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster. This will enhance both nations' ability to engage in disaster relief and peacekeeping missions more effectively."
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