July 21, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government plans to establish a committee to regulate the repatriation of asylum seekers and other persons staying in foreign countries without authorization.

Sri Lanka has entered into bilateral arrangements with several countries to regulate the repatriation of asylum seekers and persons of Sri Lankan nationality who are residing in those countries without authorization.

An agreement between Sri Lanka and the European Community on the Readmission of Persons Residing without Authorization was signed in 2004.

Under the Readmission Agreement Sri Lanka is obliged to readmit all Sri Lankan nationals who do not fulfill the requirements for entry to or stay in a member state of the European Community when the member state makes a request to repatriate the person.

The International Organization for Migration (10M) is supporting the government for the effective implementation of the Re-admission Agreement under the EU Funded Project titled "Support to the Governments of Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the implementation of Re-admission Agreements with the European Community".

The Cabinet of Ministers has given approval to a proposal put forward by the External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris to formally establish a National Coordinating Committee on Re-admission (NCCR).

The NCCR will guide and negotiate future Re-admission Agreements with other countries and to attend to matters related to the agreements.