SL should adopt a neutral foreign policy as its importance grows with the Middle East conflict: Former MP

By Yohan Perera 

Sri Lanka should adopt a neutral foreign policy in the wake of its importance growing with the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict in the Middle East, a former MP said yesterday. 

“Sri Lanka will become more important as the Middle East conflict continues and in the wake of the disruption of ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz. Sri Lanka has actually got an opportunity with the latest developments because of its geographical location. However, Sri Lanka should adopt a neutral foreign policy at this moment,” former MP Eran Wickramaratne said. He said impact of the conflict will be global especially in the event some European nations including the UK stating that they will focus on their interests where the conflict is concerned. 

“It is difficult to conclude how the conflict would affect Sri Lanka at this point but it could affect fuel prices,” he told Daily Mirror. 

Global oil prices has jumped by more than 10% with the start of the conflict, foreign media reported. 

Fuel price increases is “inevitable” following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation across the Middle East, the president of the UK’s Automobile Association has warned. The United States and Israel launched overnight strikes against Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran that reportedly hit sites in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq over the weekend.