Sri Lanka, March 2 -- Sri Lanka expresses deep concern over the rapid escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, which poses a serious threat to regional stability and to international peace and security, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release yesterday.

"Sri Lanka calls on all concerned parties to exercise maximum restraint and to take immediate and decisive action to de-escalate tensions.

All parties must refrain from further provocative measures to prevent the risk of a wider regional conflict that would result in severe humanitarian and economic consequences," the release said.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Daily News Sri Lanka....