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| Sunday, 4 January 2004 |
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Politics |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Willing to forget past political differences President to invite PM for another round of talks by Don Asoka Wijewardena President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is expected to invite Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for another round of talks as early as possible, to set up a joint peace council and carry forward the peace process. The President, prior to her departure to Islamabad to attend the 12th SAARC summit, had also indicated to the Prime Minister that she was willing to forget past political rivalries and work with him to get the peace process moving forward. According to highly placed sources, the President is also expected to allocate some responsibilities and powers to the Premier and invite him to co-chair the proposed joint peace council. Previous offers by the President to set up a joint peace council was rejected by the UNF government, which has been demanding the return of the three ministries to get the peace talks back on track. The invitation to another round of talks, expected to be extended on her return to Sri Lanka, sources said was an indication of the President's commitment to the peace process. Three previous rounds of talks between the President and the Prime Minister failed to resolve the ongoing crisis with neither parties able to reach a compromise. Getting the peace process back on track is seen as vital for the economic well-being of the country, as a large quantum of aid pledged by foreign donors have been put on hold due to the political uncertainty. Sources said that the President was well aware of the unprecedented international donations that has been pledged and had indicated she would be flexible in implementing a sensible course of action to resolve the crisis, by offering a number of options that would pave the way for a compromise for both parties. Sources also said that in accordance with provisions in the constitutions and according to the 19th amendment, the President cannot give her powers to another person, as it totally contravenes the constitutions. They also said the Prime Minister's request for the return of the three ministries was not acceptable constitutionally, but pointed out the President had agreed to grant some powers to the PM, especially for peace-related matters. When asked about the democratic alternatives indicated by the President earlier, the sources said that the President had not given any clues regarding her intended alternatives, but added that she would like to work with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, forgetting past political rivalries to get the peace process back on track. |
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