President and Wickremesinghe agree on the importance of working together for peace

[October 24, 2005 - 14.00 GMT]

President Chandrika Kumaratunga today met the Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe in a cordial atmosphere to discuss several matters of national interest.

Mr. Wickremesinghe had written to President Kumaratunga when he sent her a copy of his election manifesto soon after he presented it to the country last month, wherein he proposed to have a meeting with the President to discuss his proposals for the resolution of the ethnic question.

The said proposals were discussed at length. They both agreed on the importance of all major political parties working together in order to resolve the country’s most troubled issue, that of war and peace.

The President also stressed on the need to ensure a free and fair poll at the upcoming Presidential Elections. Measures that could be adopted for this purpose were discussed and agreed upon. As a first step President Kumaratunga is to invite the main candidates and their representatives to meet regularly with her, together with all relevant officials and review measures that need to be adopted to ensure a free poll in the North and East and the rest of the country.

The Leader of the Opposition expressed his party’s objection with regard to the proposed presentation of the budget by the government one week before the Presidential Election. President Kumaratunga informed Mr. Wickremesinghe that her cabinet has made a unanimous decision to present the budget on the 8th of November. However she said she would discuss the reasons given by Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe for his party’s objections to this decision. 

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Last Updated Date: October 24, 2005 - 14.00 GMT