Rajapakse-Weerawanse agree on establishing All Party Defense Council

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 June 2008, 20:05 GMT]
The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has agreed to set up an All Party Defense Council as suggested by the Janatha Nidahas Peramuna (JNP), a splinter group of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to take precautionary steps to curb the increase of bomb explosions in the south. A decision to this effect was taken at a discussion held Monday between President Mahinda Rajapakse and the JNP delegation led by Wimal Weerawanse, presidential secretariat sources said.

JNP delegation comprised five members including its general secretary Nandana Gunatilake.

The government is to begin next week the first phase of talks with the constituent parties in the ruling UPFA in this regard, presidential secretariat media release said.