UNP calls for deal with India

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 November 1998, 22:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka's opposition leader, Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe, said today that the Sri Lankan government should immediately sign an economic treaty with India to solve its problems. He was speaking at a meeting for UNP organisers in Paatadumbara, in the Kandy district this morning around 11.30 a.m.

Mr.Navin Dissanayaka, the son of former UNP minister Gamini Dissanayaka, presided.

The UNP leader charged that the ruling party was responsible for the problems faced by the country because it opposed and rioted against the Indo - Lankan Accord in 1987.

He said he was not against devolution but believed that it would lead to the division of the country.

Mr. Wickremesinghe pointed out that Deputy Minister for Defence, Gen.Anuruddha Ratwatte has tried for eighteen months to send a vehicle by road to Kilinochchi but that Prabhaharan was able to send an explosive laden lorry to Kandy in February.