Sri Lanka only leasing out oil tanks to India: Ranil Wickremesinghe
Posted on May 6th, 2017
Courtesy DNA
Sri Lanka will only lease out oil tanks to India under the proposed deal to jointly operate a strategic oil facility in the eastern port district of Trincomalee, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said.
Addressing a gathering in the central town of Welimada yesterday, the Prime Minister said the joint working group of the two countries will formulate investment plans for the integrated development of Trincomalee.
“Japan may also join in Trincomalee development,” Wickremesinghe said.
Seeking to dispel concerns that his government is selling state assets to India, China, US and Japan, he said, “We are going to cater to the oil demand in India by leasing out the tanks.”
Workers of Sri Lanka’s state-run petroleum company last month held a strike to protest the proposed deal with India to jointly operate the strategic oil facility.
They, however, ended strike after an assurance from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that during his visit to India that week he would not sign any agreement on the World War II-era oil tanks.
At least 73 of the 99 storage tanks in Trincomalee is to be managed under a new equity arrangement between India and Lanka.
In 2002, the Indian Oil Company was given 14 of the 99 tanks to operate.
Sri Lanka and India signed an MoU on economic co- operation in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Lankan counterpart Wickremesinghe in New Delhi last month.
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has opposed the deal and accused the Lankan government of selling state assets.
Rajapaksa’s supporter Udaya Gammanpila told parliament yesterday that a “future patriotic government” would nationalise all assets given to India by the current government.
Wimal Weerawansa, another key Rajapaksa’s backer, called for raising of black flags during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country next week.
Modi is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on May 12 to take part in the the UN ‘Vesak Day’ which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha.
The opposition claims that Modi will sign the oil tank deal during his visit despite President Maithripala Sirisena rubbishing it as misinformation.
Modi would only attend the UN ‘Vesak Day’ celebrations and no bilateral agreements will be signed during his visit to Lanka, President Sirisena had said.
(This article has not been edited by DNA’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
May 6th, 2017 at 9:51 pm
CPC employees seem to be daft. Very soon they will lose their employment as India plans to takeover petroleum industry of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
“http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/india-meeting-fuel-requirements-of-other-nations/articleshow/58286712.cms”
This will also worsen our balance of payment by $1 billion. Sri Lanka will depend on India for energy – a terrifying thought. Ukraine depends on Russia for energy and that means Russia has ruined Ukraine and split it into two!
Tamils will become even more extortionist as creation of Tamil Eelam means Sri Lanka starves energy. Sri Lanka will have no option than to agree to their demands.
CEB will also be taken hostage by India, especially when there is a drought.
Bunkering facility at Hambantota will also become useless as Trincomalee will do that. India will not allow its fuel to be used in competition. It will be costlier anyway!
A very clever strategy by India and an utterly foolish prime minister, president and trade unions of Sri Lanka.
May 7th, 2017 at 2:06 am
Traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Bay Gal Karaya Mega Thief Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil
wickramaSinhalakiller tried his best to break up Sri Lanka with his catholic buddy hitler mala paharan. Thanks to
MR, the plan was scuppered. Now he is trying to make Sri Lanka, an indian colony and trying to give tamils’
drealam on a plate. Traitor chief kalakanniya can achieve his ultimate goal of breaking up Sri Lanka thanks to
a lot traitor Sinhalese supporting this biggest traitor ever in the history of Sri Lanka. Traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Bay Gal Karaya Mega Thief Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil wickramaSinhalakiller, hope lightning
will strike you for the destruction you doing/done to Sri Lanka, Sinhalese race and Buddhism!
May 7th, 2017 at 3:55 am
With NEW Solar Energy techniques, ENERGY SELF SUFFICIENCY is very possible for Sri Lanka.
Each home can be Self Sufficient for Energy use using Solar Energy. Every roof can be the source of Solar Energy, even paint can be used to generate Solar Energy. Exiciting new technology coming out now !
Lanka does not need dirty Coal etc from any country !
Lanka does not need to be subjugated through Energy needs to any foreign country !
May 7th, 2017 at 6:14 am
Great liar and traitor to our Sinhala nation and to the Sinhalese people.