|
|
 |
 |
|||
‘The President is of the opinion that the procedures followed with regard to concluding the MOU, ignoring constitutional provisions to obtain Presidential approval, as well as not informing the Cabinet of Ministers and Parliament is considered improper and undemocratic and also violative of practices, required by the consensual politics of cohabitation,’ a statement signed by Presidential Secretary said today. The statement came amidst media reports that Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had agreed Friday to a formal ceasefire, paving the way for direct peace talks to end the country’s 18-year war. The President has reiterated her unwavering commitment to the Peace process, and to a negotiated settlement of the ethnic problem, leading to an early end to the military conflict, within a united, multi-ethnic and democratic State. ‘The President, while being supportive of a ceasefire that leads to a negotiated settlement of the Tamil peoples’ problem, after a brief examination of the document, has expressed concern to the Prime Minister about certain specific clauses and aspects of the MOU,’ the statement added. The President’s Office is due to release a detailed response after careful study of the MOU. Meanwhile a report from Vavuniya confirmed that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe had arrived in Omanthai shortly after noon, Friday. The handing over of the MOU to Jon Westborg the Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka by the Prime Minister had taken place in Vavuniya shortly thereafter. Details of the MOU were not available at the time of writing.
Statement from the President’s Office:
THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE The Prime Minister met with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, yesterday - the 21st February evening, to brief her on the MOU between the Prime Minister and the LTTE. The Prime Minister has informed the President that the LTTE Leader, Mr. V. Prabhakaran has already signed the document and that the Prime Minister would be signing it on the morning of Friday, 22nd February 2002. The President has expressed surprise and concern that she was being informed, for the first time, of the contents of the agreement, after it was signed by Mr. V. Prabhakaran and just a few hours before the Prime Minister proposed to put his signature to it. The President has reminded the Prime Minister of the previous formal communication sent to him by her, wherein she had informed him of the Constitutional authority of the President as Executive Head of State, Government and the Cabinet, with regard to all matters of war and peace and those affecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity of the State and the security of all her citizens. The President also wishes to reiterate her unwavering commitment to the Peace process, and to a negotiated settlement of the ethnic problem, leading to an early end to the military conflict, within a united, multi-ethnic and democratic State. The President is of the opinion that the procedures followed with regard to concluding the MOU, ignoring Constitutional provisions to obtain Presidential approval, as well as not informing the Cabinet of Ministers and Parliament is considered improper and undemocratic and also violative of practices, required by the consensual politics of cohabitation. The President, while being supportive of a ceasefire that leads to a negotiated settlement of the Tamil peoples’ problem, after a brief examination of the document, has expressed concern to the Prime Minister about certain specific clauses and aspects of the MOU. A detailed response to the MOU will be released in a few days time by the office of the President, after careful study. Sgd./- Secretary to the President 22 February 2002.
|
Statement from the President’s Office:
Today's
Stories
|
Contact Information: Send mail to 