Prof. Vitharana to present new proposals at APRC

by Shanika Sriyananda

A set of proposals, which were prepared taking into consideration the proposals submitted by the Expert Panel, will be discussed at the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) next week.

These proposals were drafted by APRC's Chairman and Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana following a request by party representatives at the APRC meeting last week.

Prof. Vitharana told the 'Sunday Observer' that these proposals would be the basis for discussions in future APRC meetings.

He said that the proposals are not the final draft but a document for future discussions of the APRC meetings. According to Prof. Vitharana, the United National Party (UNP) would outline their proposals at the APRC, next week, to resolve the national problem.

According to UNP sources, former Finance Minister K. N. Choksy and Prof. G. L. Peiris are expected to represent the party at the meeting. "The intention is to reach a common position to solve the ethnic problem", he said.

The APRC, comprises 13 political party representatives including the UNP.

However, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had withdrawn its representation from the APRC last December but Prof. Vitharana appealed to the JVP to submit its proposals at this important juncture to end the national problem.