MEA vs. Keheliya on third party imports of Iranian crude

Saturday, 21 June 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

External Affairs Ministry denies Government Spokesman’s remarks
Keheliya says Sri Lanka was using third parties to imports Iranian oil to avoid sanctions
No agreement ever with Govt. on illegal import of Iranian crude: US Embassy

The Government yesterday was forced to deny remarks made by its official Spokesman and Minister of Media Keheliya Rambukwella, after he asserted that Sri Lanka was importing Iranian crude oil through third party sources at the Cabinet briefing on Thursday (18). The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement yesterday, after the news agency Reuters reported the Minister’s comments, in which he asserted that he knew the seriousness of his remarks, in light of the US sanctions on Iranian petroleum products. “The Government of Sri Lanka categorically rejects the contents of this news item as being wholly incorrect and devoid of truth,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in its denial. However, recorded audio of the Minister’s remarks at the Cabinet media briefing are available. “For instance, Malaysia supplied what happened to be Iranian oil. It’s a very closed secret,” Reuters quoted Rambukwella as saying during the Cabinet briefing. “But we have had some understanding with the US as well,” the Minister added, according to the Reuters report. The US Embassy categorically rejected the Minister’s charge that the third party imports was happening based with an understanding with the US Government. “There is not now, nor has there ever been an agreement or understanding with the Government of Sri Lanka, permitting the illegal import of Iranian oil,” a US Embassy Spokesperson told the Daily FT. “I know the gravity of it. I know it’s a serious statement,” Rambukwella said when asked if he was aware of the possible implications of what he was saying, the Reuters report stated. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has previously asserted in remarks to the Daily FT that the US Embassy in Colombo had said it could not determine the source of refined petroleum products and requested CPC to proceed if it was satisfied with the credentials of the supplier. However, Minister Rambukwella was referring specifically to crude oil at Thursday’s press briefing.

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