Hakim meets with PM before leaving for Thailand

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 October 2002, 08:42 GMT]
Rauf Hakim, a member of the Sri Lankan Government's delegation participating in the second round of peace talks to be held in Thailand on 31 October, postponed his departure till the 30 October (today) to consult with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning, sources in Colombo said.

Senior politicians of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) party met yesterday night to discuss the issues affecting the Muslim people. The discussion also centreed on the boycott of nine Muslim parliamentarians demanding that the muslims must be allocated their own administrative district.

Sources close to SLMC said that the protesting Muslim MPs have categorically stated that they have no intention of giving up the boycott.

Sources say that Hakim will take up the boycott issue with the Prime Minister before leaving for Thailand to join the rest of the negotiators.