Wickremasinghe challenges Rajapakse on CFA

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 October 2005, 00:16 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, United National Party presidential candidate challenged his rival Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse to cancel the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) by giving fifteen days' notice to the Norwegian government instead of accusing him (Ranil) for signing the CFA. Mr Wickremasinghe issued the challenge when he addressed an election rally in Elpitiya, south of Colombo Tuesday evening, sources said.

"Mr Rajapakse now says the CFA is a threat to Sri Lanka's territorial integrity and sovereignty and criticizes me for signing the CFA with the LTTE. He now takes this position after maintaining silence for the last four years and while as a Prime Minister for the last one and a half years not uttering a single word against the CFA. If he thinks so he can ask the President to cancel the CFA immediately," said Mr.Wickremasinghe.

Mr. Rajapakse has become a pawn in the hands of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leaders and has lost his independence to advance SLFP policies, Mr. Wickremasinghe said.