UNF stresses the urgency to reconvene parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 November 2003, 10:18 GMT]
"The burning problem of United National Front Government for the moment is the need to reconvene the parliament which has been prorogued by the President till November 19," the Cabinet spokesman and Constitutional Affairs Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris said Thursday at the weekly press briefing.

"No useful purpose will be served in resuming peace talks with the LTTE until a solution is found to the current political crisis consequent to the take over the key ministries Defense, Interior and Mass Communication and the prorogation of the parliament by the President," said Cabinet spokesman and Minister Mr. G.L.Peiris at the weekly press briefing held Thursday morning.

Mr.Peiris further said that the leaders of all constituent parties in the UNF government would accompany the Prime Minister at the next round of talks scheduled to be held next week with the President.

Mr.Peiris added, "the Government should have the military powers to take forward the peace process and economic reforms and only these powers could be cancelled by election or by changing the composition of the parliament."

Talks would be held among the constituent parties of the United National Front government with regard to the President's proposal for forming a national government. It was revealed in the talks held between the Norwegian peace envoys and the UNF leaders that there could be difficulties if the responsibility of the peace process was to be divided, Mr.Peiris said responding to a question by journalists at the briefing.

The press briefing was held at the office of the Government media spokesman located in Colette in Colombo