The Sri Lankan government said today that it welcomed the decision by the United Kingdom to ‘scrap the proposed introduction of a bond to visitors of six countries termed ‘high risk’ and said that it appreciated the removal of such proposed “discriminatory restrictions” for travel.

Speaking to Daily Mirror Online Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Karunathilake Amunugama said that his Ministry had “extensive discussions with the High Commission of the United Kingdom in Sri Lanka over the issue”.

“We welcome this move, from the day these plans were announced we all worked hard to ensure that such restrictions would not be imposed on Sri Lankan visitors. It was discriminatory and we therefore had extensive discussions with the High Commission of England and also informed our High Commissioner in London to make a strong case against this,” he said.

Earlier international media reported that Britain was scrapping the plan to force visitors from six "high risk" countries including Sri Lanka to pay a cash bond of £3,000 citing the Interior Ministry of Britain.

The British government had been preparing to pilot a scheme requiring visitors from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ghana and Nigeria to pay the deposit for a six-month visa.

They would have forfeited the money if they overstayed.

"The government has been considering whether we pilot a bond scheme that would deter people from overstaying the visa. We have decided not to proceed," a Home Office spokeswoman said.(Hafeel Farisz)