Sept 02, Colombo: Britain has appointed John James Rankin, a career foreign officer of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), as the new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Non-Resident British High Commissioner to the Maldives.

He will be replacing Dr. Peter Hayes who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment, the FCO announced Wednesday.

Rankin is to take up his new appointment in February 2011.

"I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. The United Kingdom and Sri Lanka have close and long-standing links, and I look forward to furthering the partnership between our countries," Rankin has said.

He is currently the Director, Americas in the FCO since 2008, responsible for a network of over 30 British Embassies, High Commissions and other posts in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.