The European Union welcomed the decision by President Mahinda Rajapaksa not to extend the emergency regulations imposed during the conflict in the country by the end of this month.

Issuing a statement on Friday, Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission said the announcement by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament on Thursday 25th August that his government does not intend to prolong further the Emergency Regulations in force for many years in Sri Lanka is a welcome move.

"This development is a significant step on Sri Lanka's path towards a return to normality following decades of conflict. The proposal to lift the Emergency Regulations would remove important restrictions on the exercise of civil and political rights which are the cornerstone of a democratic society," Ashton said in her statement.

Meanwhile, the British High Commission in Colombo announcement by the President marks an important move towards normalisation and the strengthening of civil and political rights.