SL Government has no deals with LTTE- Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 22:44 GMT]
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Prime Minister, Monday refuted the allegation that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has a secret understanding with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was answering a question by Joseph Michael Perera, parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) citing ousted minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi in parliament Tuesday.

Joseph Michael Perera wanted the Prime Minister to table a copy of the secret understanding with the LTTE in parliament.

Mr. Wickremanayake said there was no such deal with the LTTE. "If there was one you could get a copy from Sripathi Sooriayarachchi ", he told Joseph Michael Perera

The Parliament resumed its sittings Tuesday morning with Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara in the chair.

Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, one of the three-sacked ministers by President Mahinda Rajapakse recently alleged at a press conference that he has evidence that the government struck a secret deal with the LTTE during the presidential election period.

Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle advised Ranil Wickremasinghe to take steps to protect his position as the leader of the opposition from going into the hands of Wimal Weerawanse, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), as 20 UNP parliamentarians are on the verge of crossing over to the government side shortly.

Parliamentary strength of the JVP is 38 and UNP is 43. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has 22 parliamentarians.