Negotiations with LTTE, Presidency to be abolished - UPFA manifesto

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:19 GMT]
"The ceasefire will continue. We are committed to take all measures required to prevent the nation from going back to war," said the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in its forty four-page election manifesto released Thursday night at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, political sources in Colombo said.

The major constituent parties of the UPFA are the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. General Secretaries of the constituent political parties were present at the occasion, sources said.

The manifesto further said that UPFA has committed itself to solve the ethnic problem through a process of negotiated political settlement. " Steps will be taken to enter into a process of negotiation with the LTTE and other groups to bring about, on reasonable conditions, a sustainable solution. Negotiations will be transparent," the UPFA election manifesto said.

The UPFA will also continue the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction in the northeast with renewed vigour, said the manifesto.

On the proposed constitutional reforms the UPFA said in its manifesto that the Executive Presidency will be abolished and a new electoral system will be adopted. A new constitution with the peoples' approval will be formulated.

The manifesto devoted several pages to educational reforms, which have been identified as essential to the future well being of the society.