Wickremesinghe visits Dalada Maligawa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 December 2002, 18:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister (PM), Ranil Wickremesinghe, travelled to Kandy today morning and had discussions with the Diyawadane Nilame of Kandy Dalada Maligawe Mr.Niranjan Wijeratne after worshipping at the Temple of Sacred Tooth of Buddha, sources in Kandy said.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister also visited the Malwathu Maha Vihara met with the Prelate of Malwatte, Most Venerable Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi Maha Nayaka Thera, sources added.

In both the discussions, where the press was not allowed, sources speculated that Mr. Wickremesinghe gave them details on the progress of the current peace talks.

"I have instructed the Finance Minister to exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT) the gold-tiles for the Dalada Maligawa and the Statue of Buddha to be imported from Thailand to the International Buddhist Research Center in Ballegale," the Prime Minister told the press when he met them after his discussions with Diyawadane Nilame Mr.Niranjan Wijeratne.