England tour fears ease after Foreign Office advice

Safety and security concerns over England's tour of Sri Lanka have eased despite a state of emergency following advice from the British Foreign Office and the Sri Lanka government.

Chandrika Kumaratunga, the Sri Lankan president, suspended parliament and sacked three powerful ministers on Tuesday. She also ordered troops to guard key installations, including the state television station, and declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.

However, a spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We have now advised the ECB there is no reason to change their plans for Sri Lanka. The north and the east of the country are heavily mined and UK nationals should exercise caution when travelling to that part of the country. The rest of the country is trouble free.

Earlier, Sri Lanka cricket board officials had insisted that the tour would not be affected by the political situation: "There is nothing to get alarmed about and there is no danger to the tour," said board secretary Mohan de Silva."What has happened is just a swapping of ministries. Cricket has been played in much worse situations."

The Sri Lanka government and the President's Office also gave assurances about safety. Lakshman Kadirgamar, a presidential aide, told a media conference: "Everything that is humanly possible will be done to ensure that the tour goes on without any disturbances."

England are due to arrive in Sri Lanka on Nov 13 for a series of three one-day internationals and three test matches.