News
China offers fuel to Sri Lanka; shipment due within weeks
View(s):- Govt considers buying Russian oil, coal and fertiliser; seeks US sanctions waiver
By Damith Wickremasekera
China this week stepped in to offer Sri Lanka fuel stocks on a priority basis in a bid to maintain stable fuel supplies.
China’s Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday to assure support to Sri Lanka, given its perilous situation in obtaining adequate fuel stocks.
This was after Sri Lanka also sought assistance from China in addition to seeking support from India and Russia.
The first fuel shipment from China is expected in mid-April. The shipment will be in addition to the fuel stocks sent to Sinopec Energy Lanka for its filling stations. “We made a request to China due to the ongoing fuel crisis, and it has responded positively as an old and reliable friend of Sri Lanka,” Mr Herath said.
Meanwhile, the government is looking to strengthen ties with Russia for the purchase of oil, coal and fertiliser; it has also reached out to the United States to get a waiver to import fuel from Russia, which is under US sanctions.
The request was conveyed to US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, who was in Sri Lanka two weeks ago. There has been no response so far.
In March, US President Donald Trump issued a 30-day waiver allowing for the sale of sanctioned Russian crude oil and petroleum products already at sea, expiring April 11. However, there is no indication the 30-day waiver would be extended. Government sources said they cannot proceed with the Russian fuel purchase agreement without the guarantee of a three-month waiver at least. In the meantime, the government is looking to Russia to ensure long-term energy security for the country.
Foreign Affairs Minister Herath will travel to Russia next month to follow up on last month’s visit to Colombo by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and the Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin.
He will hold talks to enter into several government-to-government agreements with Russia to ensure future stability in obtaining fuel, coal and fertiliser.
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