Opposition calls for all party talks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan opposition leader, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe said yesterday that it was not enough for the Sri Lankan government, government, the UNP and the LTTE to have discussions to solve the ethnic problem of the country.

He said, while speaking at the inaugural ceremonies of the upcountry research conference organised by the Central provincial council, that the government should call a round table conference of all political parties and organisations to find a settlement to the ethnic conflict.

The UNP stand is seen by many as a fresh move to counter government's proposed political package.

Mr. Wickremasinghe had earlier backed negotiations with the LTTE on the basis of the bi-partisan agreement between the government and his party alone, and his volte-face came as a surprise to many observers.