US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday the United States wanted to renew ties with Sri Lanka and announced the start of an annual bilateral dialogue after years of tensions with the island nation's former government.

Kerry arrived in the South Asian country yesterday, the first time in a decade that a US secretary of state has visited Sri Lanka.Washington had years of tensions over human rights with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was unseated by Mathripala Sirisena in a surprise election win in January. Sri Lanka had also tilted heavily towards China as Rajapaksa fell out with the West over human rights and allegations of war crimes.