PA-UNP agreement draws criticism

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 March 2000, 11:37 GMT]
The Sri Lankan government and the main opposition party discussed and agreed upon some modifications to the procedures for appointing governors to regions as spelt out in the draft constitutional proposals of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) of 1997 today during their third round of talks on working out a consensus to solve the ethnic conflict. Reacting to the PA-UNP communique this afternoon, Tamil parties in Colombo said that "this is an agreement to further water down the basis for devolving power to the proposed Regional bodies envisaged in the 97' proposals".
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UNP protest petroleum hike

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 March 2000, 18:22 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) organised a protest march and a rally in Colombo today, protesting against price hikes in petroleum products and increased coast of living.
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UNP, PA press release

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 March 2000, 12:24 GMT]
A joint communique was issued after the second round of talks held on Thursday between the delegations from the People's Alliance (PA) and the United National Party (UNP). President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge chaired the discussion.
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'Keep us informed on the peace talks' - UNP

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 March 2000, 00:22 GMT]
"We have also been informed by the Government of Norway that the Government of Sri Lanka asked for discussions with the LTTE and we are also being informed of certain other developments and I thought I should be briefed on that matter before we start talks," said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the Sri Lankan opposition, United National Party, according to the communique» on today's meeting between the Government and UNP, issued jointly by both parties this evening.
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UNP gearing up to meet President

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 March 2000, 18:08 GMT]
The Executive Committee and the Parliamentary Group of the United National Party (UNP) will meet on March 6 to decide on final preparations for discussions with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge on March 9.
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Opposition leader declines President's invitation

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2000, 14:56 GMT]
Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the United National Party has declined to participate at tomorrow's discussions with President Chandrika Kumaratunge, on the proposed constitutional reforms. He has informed President Chandrika today by a letter that the best possible course of action open to her is to immediately present in Parliament the proposals tabled in October 1997.
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President, Opposition meet next week

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2000, 16:47 GMT]
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge has invited the leader of the Opposition, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe for discussions on constitutional reforms scheduled to be presented to the Parliament by her government.
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Vollebaek meets Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2000, 16:11 GMT]
The Sri Lankan opposition leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe told the visiting Norwegian Foreign Minster Mr. Knut Vollebaek that a solution to the ethnic conflict in the island has to be found through a reasonable political system, UNP sources said.
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Norwegian Foreign Minister arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2000, 07:28 GMT]
The Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek who arrived in Colombo today had a two-hour long discussion with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Lakshman Kadirgamar this morning.
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Norwegian Foreign Minister to visit Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2000, 16:17 GMT]
Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek is set to visit Sri Lanka on February 16. He will arrive in the capital Colombo early on the 16th morning and leave late the same night, Ingvard Havnen, spokesman for the Norwegian Foreign Ministry told TamilNet.
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Opposition demands devolution draft

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 February 2000, 10:40 GMT]
The Leader of the Opposition and United National Party Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe has asked the President to table the draft constitutional reforms already made public three years ago, in Parliament immediately. "We are amazed that instead of finalizing and tabling the draft constitutional reforms made public in October 1997 in Parliament, your government is now engaged in an exercise preparing new draft" said Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe in a letter sent to the President today.
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Issadeen new UNP MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 February 2000, 14:12 GMT]
The former Opposition Leader of the dissolved North East Provincial Council Mr.M.H.Segu Issadeen was sworn in as a new Member of Parliament in the National List of the United National Party today.
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President, opposition to meet later this month

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2000, 22:00 GMT]
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge is likely to meet Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the United National Party, during the third week of February, political sources said today.
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CID arrests Ponnambalam suspect

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 January 2000, 15:46 GMT]
Criminal Investigation Department officials have arrested a youth in connection with the assassination of Kumar Ponnambalam, police sources said.
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Norwegian Foreign Minister to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2000, 20:55 GMT]
The delayed visit of the Norwegian Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka is expected to take place during the weekend political sources said.
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Sunday Leader Editor defends article

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2000, 20:18 GMT]
Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge has told the High court that an alleged defamatory article published in his English weekly journal didn't convey the impression that the president was a corrupt person.
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UNP extends support despite "reservations"

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2000, 12:24 GMT]
The United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has informed the President Chandrika Kumaratunga that his party would support the government's constitutional proposals despite its reservations.
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Protect free media, urges Ranil

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 January 2000, 11:51 GMT]
The Leader of the United National Party, Ranil Wickremasinghe has made an appeal to all to rally round to safeguard the media freedom in Sri Lanka. He made this appeal when addressing a press conference on Wednesday.
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Expulsion of rebels valid - UNP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 17:25 GMT]
The expulsion of Parliamentarians Sarath Amumgama Wijepala Mendis and Nanda Mathew from Sri Lanka'a main opposition United National Party (UNP) was legally valid stated UNP Chairman Karu Jayasuriya and General Secretary Gamini Athukorale in the objections filed by the party in the suit filed by the dissidents challenging their expulsion.
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Opposition slams President's "racist" speech

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 January 2000, 12:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunge's marathon television speech on January 3 was an attempt to kindle racist feelings in the country, said the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe when briefing the press Thursday morning.
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