30 June 2022 09:33 am
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reported to have written to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking for cooperation in oil purchases, a source close to the President’s Office said.
The two presidents are expected to make a phone call one of these days and work out arrangements with the likely involvement of an official visit to Moscow. Sri Lanka is now facing a huge fuel shortage.
According to the source, the shortage will last till July 10, 2022. The source said the next shipment can be expected between July 10 and 12. The source also confirmed that India agreed to provide four shipments of fuel on cash payment terms.
Besides, the government purchased another 7,500 tonnes of diesel from the Lanka Indian Oil Company to be used for essential services until the next shipment arrives after July 4.
Sri Lanka is now unable to buy fuel from regular supplies since as much as US $ 731 million is in arrears to be paid for them for the previous supplies. Meanwhile, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara , along with Environment Minister Ahamed Nazeer , has travelled to Qatar to secure fresh deals for oil purchases. (Kelum Bandara)