UPFA will not accept JHU as an ally - Anura Bandaranaike

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 April 2004, 18:23 GMT]
Mr.Anura Bandaranaike, Minister of Investment Promotion and Tourism in the United People's Freedom Alliance government of Sri Lanka, said Thursday that the UPFA would not form a coalition with the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), saying that his party could not accept the JHU's policies, according to media sources.

Mr.Anura Bandaranaike, brother of President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge told press persons Thursday that the UPFA could come to an agreement with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) to ensure majority for his government in parliament when it meets next month, sources said.

Mr. Bandaranaike met the press after he held discussions with the Ambassadors of Japan and China in Colombo Thursday.

The JHU leadership has opposed the facilitation of the Norwegian government in resuming the stalled peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and finding a political solution to the ethnic conflict based on the federal concept.