DUBAI (Reuters) - Emirates airline said the Sri Lankan government, beset by renewed fighting with Tamil separatists, needs to convince it to continue managing its national carrier, the contract for which runs out next year.
"They have basically got to persuade us that it's worth our while," Emirates President Tim Clark told the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.
Dubai government-owned Emirates has a 44 percent stake in Sri Lankan which operates a fleet of 14.
The Sri Lankan government's creation of a new airline, Mihin Air, is an "issue" for Emirates, Clark said. "I need to know what the government's intentions are," he said.
Emirates could help Sri Lanka grow its fleet to as many as 40, buying aircraft to expand and replace some its older aircraft, he said.
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