Talks set to conclude mid October: SLFP, UNP tie up imminent

by Jayantha Sri Nissanka and Ananda Kannangara

Speculation is rife in the SLFP and UNP circles of a possible tie up as talks are set to conclude mid October.

"Both parties are very much hopeful of striking a deal to solve national issues genuinely forgetting politics", Minister of Power and Energy John Seneviratne told the Sunday Observer.

The third round of talks will commence on October 3 and is expected to conclude on October 15. The six committees appointed to prepare a common agenda for both parties to work together will meet in Parliament this week.

Six committees were appointed to reach a consensus between the two parties on the ethnic issue, electoral reforms, good governance, economic development, social development and youth empowerment.

UNP Parliamentarian Prof. G. L. Peiris said the second round of talks between the Government and the UNP were successful and accordingly priority will be given to implement a common agenda to go ahead with the third rounds of talks.

Prof. Peiris told the Sunday Observer that the most important issue of establishing the federal system to the North and East will be discussed later.

"However, we are confident that implementing a new structure with a common agenda as discussed at last week's talks will definitely help to go ahead with future discussions between the country's two major political parties," he said.

He said the objective of both parties was to formulate a common program and work together with a better understanding.

Asked whether these two political parties would seek the assistance of other parties such as the JVP in the future talks, Prof. Peiris declined to comment.

Ministers Nimal Siripla de Silva, Maithripala Sirisena and W. D. J. Seneviratne participated from the SLFP at the second round of talks while Prof. G. L. Peiris, Rukman Senanayake and Milinda Moragoda represented the UNP.