An American diplomatic official had reportedly left the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) after refusing to be subjected to a PCR test being carried out at the airport premises.
When inquired about this by Ada Derana, Vice President of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL) Mr. Rajeev Sooriyaarachchi stated that the US Embassy official had reached BIA at around 1.45 a.m. today onboard a Qatar Airways flight.
He claimed that the official had exited the airport using diplomatic privileges.
However, he added that as per foreign mission regulations the official will have to quarantine for 14 days and subsequently the US Embassy will provide the relevant information to the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
US Embassy spokesperson Nancy VanHorn stated that US diplomatic staff adhere carefully to Sri Lankan COVID-19 guidelines, including quarantine restrictions, in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
The arrival of U.S. diplomatic staff to Sri Lanka also complies with the norms and procedures outlined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, just as it applies to arrival of Sri Lankan and other diplomatic staff to the United States, she said in a statement.
