Colombo, May 04, 2010, SPA -- Sri Lanka's government will ease the state of emergency that existed during decades of conflict with Tamil rebels, dpa quoted External Affairs Minister GL Peiris as telling the Parliament today. The special powers allowing security forces to enter and search private premises without a court order, and a regulation requiring property owners to provide police with information about tenants and residents would be curtailed, he said. "Such steps were necessary to curb terrorist activities, but they are no longer necessary," Peiris said. "However there cannot be a wholesale lifting of the emergency regulations. It will be done part by part," the minister said. -- SPA 19:21 LOCAL TIME 16:21 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/776853