Chandrika cancels meeting with Wickremesinghe, Helgesen

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 September 2003, 21:21 GMT]
Meeting between President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe did not take place Thursday as scheduled and Ms. Kumaratunge cancelled her meeting with the Norwegian deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen and special envoy Mr. Erik Solheim which also scheduled for Thursday, Presidential Secretariat said in a press release said. .

Press release added that these meetings did not take place, as President Ms Chandrika has been indisposed.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister and Norwegian deputy foreign minister Mr. Vidar Helgessen were scheduled to brief the President about the latest situation in the present peace process Thursday, sources said.

Mr. Vidar Helgessen with special peace envoy Mr. Erik Solheim returned from Killinochchi Thursday afternoon and were scheduled to meet President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and inform her about the outcome of the talks they had with LTTE leadership, sources said.

Meanwhile Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Thursday sent a reply to the President refuting her charges that the United National Front (UNF) government has failed to ensure the security of the country and especially the strategic Trincomalee harbour from the attack of LTTE, sources said.

Mr.Wickremasinghe said that the army camps at Elephant Pass, Mullaitivu, Pooneryn, Mankulam and Killinochchi were lost when Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge was the defense minister, sources said.