Oct 14, Colombo: Secretary of Sri Lanka's Treasury Dr. P.B. Jayasundera says that crises should be used as opportunities for the country to move ahead in the long term.

Addressing an event in Colombo, Dr. Jayasundera has noted that the drought in the country's North and East, the Middle East turmoil that has resulted in an oil crisis and the economic crisis in Europe that is affecting Sri Lanka's exports should be used as opportunities to help the country move ahead.

"The country should be elevated to such a state that it can overcome any hurdle, and should be done without losing any credibility," Dr. Jayasundera has said adding that it would help the country to become a lead nation.

According to Dr. Jayasundera, the trade deficit which was surging in the last few years has been brought down to 10 percent, but needs to be brought down further to 6 percent of GDP.

He has added that the necessary measures to achieve this target have been formulated and would be implemented in the 2013 budget.