UNP to oppose constitution

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 July 2000, 17:11 GMT]
Two Parliamentarians of the United National Party (UNP), Messrs Karunasena Kodithuwaku and John Amaratunge, have announced that they cannot support the government's effort to pass the new constitution under the prevailing circumstances.

The two Parliamentarians addressed a press conference at the office of the Leader of the Opposition Tuesday morning and stated that their party is prepared to support an amendment to the present constitution if it is necessary to resolve the north east crisis and the opposition is prepared to discuss this matter even further. But they expressed their opposition to the constitution as proposed by the President.