Tigers seek "normalcy in Tamil areas"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 November 2000, 17:20 GMT]
Norway's Special envoy Mr.Eric Solheim who returned from Vanni after meeting the leader of the Liberation Tigers, V.Pirapaharan told journalists in Colombo Thursday that the LTTE had not laid down any precondition to begin talks with the Sri Lankan Government. He said the LTTE leader brought to the notice of the Norway's delegation that the Tamil areas the island was suffering under the economic embargo imposed by the Sri Lankan government and that he wanted quick return of normalcy in the northeast, Mr.Solheim said.
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Parties windup election campaign

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 October 2000, 12:44 GMT]
Political parties and independent groups contesting parliamentary elections will end their campaigning Saturday midnight, 48 hours prior to election date as stipulated in the parliamentary election Act. Meanwhile the police has stepped security measures in Colombo and its suburb as major political parties are holding their final rallies in the capital.
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UNP to probe Ashraff death

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 October 2000, 16:24 GMT]
The Leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremasinghe has said that he would appoint a commission to probe the mysterious death in a helicopter crash last month of Mr.M.H.M.Ashraff, founder president of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, if he is elected to power.
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UNP releases election manifesto

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 September 2000, 14:46 GMT]
The election manifesto released today by the United National Party (UNP) stated that the constitution would not be amended until a political solution to devolve powers agreeable to all political parties is reached. The clergy, civil organisations and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would also be consulted for a broad consensus, the manifesto further said.
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Cooray's party to contest elections

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 August 2000, 11:31 GMT]
'Citizens Front', a new political party led by a former United National Party (UNP) strong man, Mr.Sirisena Cooray has decided to contest in 22 electoral districts out of 25 during the forthcoming general election.
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Cessation of hostilities if elected -Ranil

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 August 2000, 13:20 GMT]
The United National Party (UNP) will bring about a cessation of hostilities agreement with the Liberation Tigers if it comes to power said party leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a press conference Sunday at the opposition leader's office in Colombo.
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Complaint about PA bribing UNP parliamentarian

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 19:07 GMT]
A complaint has been lodged with the Bribery and Corruption Commission requesting a full investigation in to a 1.5 million rupee bribe said to have been offered to a United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian by a ruling People's Alliance (PA) MP as an inducement to vote in favour of the new constitution bill.
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UNP first to seek Norway's help - Bondevik

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 19:03 GMT]
The United National Party was the first to seek Norway's assistance in the effort to find a political settlement to the ethnic conflict on the island when it was in power in 1990 according to Mr.Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Norwegian Prime Minister. he made this statement when delivering the keynote address at the commemoration meeting to mark the first death anniversary of veteran foreign minister A.C.S.Hameed, held at Colombo Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall Thursday evening.
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Former Norwegian PM will not speak to leaders

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 August 2000, 12:50 GMT]
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Mr.Kjell Magne Bondevik will not hold talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe as scheduled, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo said Thursday.
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Former Norwegian PM visits Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 August 2000, 21:45 GMT]
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik will arrive in Colombo on a two day visit Wednesday afternoon. During his stay in Colombo he will have talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe.
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Media Reformation bill tabled by opposition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 August 2000, 18:39 GMT]
A motion on Media Reformation tabled by the Leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and eight others was taken for discussion Tuesday afternoon in the parliament.
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UNP opts out of debating Constitution Bill

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 August 2000, 14:44 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition, the United National Party (UNP) has decided not to participate in the debate on the new Constitution Bill submitted by the Government to the Parliament. This decision was taken at the UNP parliamentary group meeting chaired by Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the Opposition Thursday.
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Ponnambalam case officer "partial"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 July 2000, 16:29 GMT]
Lawyers representing the family of slain All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) leader, Mr.Kumar Ponnambalam has requested the Attorney General to replace the police officer conducting the investigations into the killing with one who would be "impartial", legal sources in Colombo said.
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Streets blocked by UNP protesters

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 July 2000, 17:49 GMT]
An estimated twenty-five-thousand people attended the mass protest campaign organised by the main opposition, United National Party (UNP) on Tuesday evening opposite Maradana railway station in Colombo.
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Monks call for political opposition to devolution package

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 June 2000, 18:52 GMT]
A leading Buddhist monk, Venerable Maduluwe Sobitha Thera, appealed on Thursday to members of Parliament belonging to the two major Sinhala dominated political parties not to become traitors to their own community by supporting the devolution package prepared by their leaders.
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India extends $100 million credit to Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 June 2000, 19:40 GMT]
India's Minister of External affairs of India, Sri Jaswant Singh said his government would extend to Sri Lanka a credit facility of 100 million US dollars, according to a statement regarding his visit to the island issued Monday by Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry. The statement had been approved by both governments, officials said.
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UNP bomb blast suspects further remanded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 May 2000, 16:47 GMT]
Four suspects, described as the chief organizers of the UNP in the Batticaloa district, were Tuesday further remanded till June 13 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge D.G.Kulatilleke who is conducting the Magisterial inquiry into the Town Hall bomb blast on December 18, 1999.
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UNP wants army de-politicized

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2000, 20:43 GMT]
The United National Party today decided to oppose the monthly extension of the Emergency in Parliament on May 10. Generally the UNP is not present in Parliament when the extension of the Emergency comes up for voting. The party also claimed that the need of hour is to de-politicize the security forces.
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UNP protest blocked

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 May 2000, 18:16 GMT]
A group of about thirty United National Party MPs were blocked by the Sri Lankan Police from staging a protest this morning at Independent Square near down town Colombo against the promulgation of the draconian regulations under the Public Security Ordinance.
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Tripartite agreement necessary - Indian Foreign Minister

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 April 2000, 14:40 GMT]
The devolution of power in Sri Lanka should be done with the consensus of a tripartite agreement between the government, the United National Party and the Liberation Tigers and this is necessary for devolution of powers in Sri Lanka, said India's Foreign Minister Mr. Jaswant Singh.
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