Sri Lanka, March 3 -- Former Foreign Minister Professor G.L. Peiris, in a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has drawn attention to the gravity of consequences arising for Sri Lanka from the volatile situation in the Middle East.

Writing on behalf of concerned citizens, Professor Peiris stressed that the government should explain without delay to the country and the international community its stand on the issues involved and its reaction to them.

He identified four major areas in which the crisis could directly impact Sri Lanka:

I. Escalating oil prices in the world market will inevitably be reflected in local trends in the very near future, significantly increasing the cost of living and aggravating already serio...