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Message: <blockquote data-quote="lkdood" data-source="post: 7714833" data-attributes="member: 92282">EU threat to Sri Lanka trade over human rightsThe European Union threatened Tuesday to withdraw by August trade  concessions granted to Sri Lanka unless the island makes a written  undertaking to improve its human rights record.The EU's executive  arm, the European Commission, has insisted on "significant improvements  on the effective implementation of the human rights conventions" for  the island to continue enjoying the trade benefits.The GSP+  scheme gives 16 poor nations preferential access to the vast European  market in return for following strict commitments on a variety of social  and rights issues.These benefits will be withdrawn on August 15  unless Sri Lanka makes a written commitment by July 1, a statement from  an EU mission to the island said.Sri Lanka's hawkish government  has faced almost constant criticism in the past several years over the  way it conducted a war against Tamil Tiger separatist rebels who were  finally defeated in May 2009.Government forces have been accused  of a host of rights violations including the indiscriminate killing of  thousands of Tamil civilians, the murder of aid workers and the  execution of surrendering rebels.Sri Lanka criticised the EU's  warning to withdraw the trade benefits, with the foreign ministry in  Colombo complaining that Europe was setting "unattainable targets".Sri  Lanka gains about 150 million dollars annually due to preferential  tariffs, according to trade estimates.The island's clothing  industry is the main beneficiary, using the concessions to sell to high  street retailers in Europe.AFP</blockquote>

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