Sri Lanka seeks alternative to Iranian crude
Sri Lanka is looking for alternatives to Iranian crude oil in the face of US-led sanctions aimed at spurring Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme, Colombo’s petroleum minister said Wednesday.
Susil Premajayantha said Sri Lanka imported 92 percent of its crude oil needs from Iran, but was now looking at alternatives.
“We have begun looking for alternative sources of crude and the possibility of increasing the import of Saudi Arabian crude,” Premajayantha told parliament.
He said Sri Lanka’s refinery, built with Italian technology in 1968, could handle Iranian or Saudi light crude and talks were underway to get more Saudi oil, as well as increase refined petroleum product imports from elsewhere.
India has said it will continue to import oil from Iran, joining China in refusing to bow to intensifying US pressure not to do business with the Islamic republic.
The West fears Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb.
Tehran insists its nuclear programme is only for civilian use and refuses to abandon its uranium enrichment activities, ramping up its programme in the wake of recent Western economic sanctions against its finance and all-important oil sectors.
Source: AFP
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The Minister failed to explain why it is neccessary to look for alternative sources of supply?
Is it to satisfy the diktats of SL’s closest friend, the US?
GOSL is making a huge mistake in bowing to US unilateral ban on importing crude oil from Iran. Like India and China we should defy US unilateral ban and continue to import oil from Iran. USA can do nothing against SL to stop us importin oil from Iran and continue to trade with Iran. We could pay for our oil weith tea etc though a bartering arrangement instead of paying through green backs. India and China has also such alternative arrangments with regard to payments. Iran is our friend and we should contine to maintain such friendship. SL Interests comes first. Our economy must not be allowed to suffer by bowing to US sanctions against Iran. We should tell USA, to go to hell!
PLEASE HON PRESIDENT CONTINUE TO IMPORT OIL FROM IRAN AND MAINTAIN TRADE WITH IRAN. PLEASE SEND A DELGATION SOON TO IRAN AS CHINA AND INDIA DID, TO ARRANGE ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS. pLEASE FOLLWO SANE ADVICE AND NOT FALSE ADVICE FROM YOUR ENEMIES WHO PRETEND TO BE FRIENDS. DO NOT FEAR USA! STAND FIRM AGAINST USA. IT CAN DO US NO HARM. BUT IF YOU STOP BUYING OIL FROM IRAN IT WILL DAMGE OUR TRADE WITH IRAN AND COST US DEARLY. OUR ROAD TO ECONOMIC VICTORY WILL COME TO A DEAD END!