Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Leaders of nine political parties including National Freedom Front (NFF) and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya have requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to initiate bilateral discussions with Russia in view to procure fuel on long term credit facility.

In a letter addressed to the President, they said if the government fails to do so, they were not hesitant to rally round with people to compel the government to purchase fuel from Russia so as to resolve the fuel crisis.

The letter added that they learnt from reliable sources that the Russian government had responded positively to a request made by the Sri Lankan government to buy fuel from Russia and that it was unclear whether steps have been taken by the government in that regard.

They also said in the letter that some responsible persons in the government had claimed that it would lead to an outrage of the US and Europe, if fuel was purchased from Russia.

Despite hostilities, Europe purchases over one million barrels of crude oil from Russia daily,” they said in the letter.

The leaders of the nine political parties had requested the President to grant them an opportunity to discuss matters regarding the oil purchase from Russia. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)