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| Sunday, 18 August 2002 |
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No need to fear that President will dissolve parliament or hold elections - Peiris by CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE Presidential spokesman Harim Peiris said that there was no foundation for the UNF's fear that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga would dissolve parliament and that she would hold a general election at this juncture. "The President entertains neither dissolution of parliament nor elections," Peiris said at a press briefing on Wednesday at the Presidential Secretariat. "I can categorically state that President Kumaratunga has absolutely no intentions as such to dissolve Parliament 'today' or to have a general election after December 5, this year," he said. Peiris said that the UNF had last week asked the President to dissolve Parliament using her executive powers if she could get a two-third majority. On the contrary, the President is focused on addressing the country's more important issues relating to its economy and peace negotiations at this juncture," he said. Alleging that the UNF had come up with what could be described as 'piecemeal' provisions in a new 18th amendment to the Constitution, aimed at limiting the President's executive powers, he said that the UNF should first implement the 17th Amendment before talking about the 18th. "Let them establish the independent commissions on police, judicial and election issues on their promised agenda," Peiris said. However, he commended the government's success in its peace efforts and said that it has established initial talks with the LTTE. "We welcome the talks taking place now between Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda and LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham in Oslo," he said, adding: "We are eager to see that the government enters into official talks with the LTTE to bring about durable peace in the country without further delay." Peiris also said that the President had talks with the JVP leaders about the present political situation in the country, as the JVP cannot be ignored in matters of national interest, being the third political force in the country. "Despite various differences in our views, our stand is in agreement with the JVP's opinion that it is high time the UNP disclosed to the public what they have on offer for the LTTE in the resolution of the ethnic question," he said. |
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