Show package to Buddhist clergy, LTTE -UNP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 July 2000, 16:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition party said Thursday that the Sri Lankan government should present the final draft proposals on constitutional reforms to the Buddhist clergy, all political parties and the Liberation Tigers before taking the package to Parliament. The United National Party said in a press release this afternoon that the dicussions it had had with the government on constitutional reforms proceeded on the basis that "when consensus was reached, such consensus will be placed before the Maha Sangha, heads of the other religious denominations, all political parties and the LTTE".

The following is the full text of the UNP statement titled "Resolutions adopted by the joint meeting of the Working Committee and the Parliamentary Group Meeting (sic) of the United national Party at Sri Kotha today"

"Whereas the discussions between the People's Alliance and the United National Party chaired by Her Excellency the President on the government's constitutional proposals and the United National Party's proposals submitted to the Select Committee of Parliament on the Constitution proceeded on the basis that when final consensus was reached, such consensus will be placed before the Maha Sangha, heads of the other religious denominations, all political parties and the LTTE.

“And whereas no final consensus was reached between the People's Alliance and United National Party on certain issues of primary importance.

“And whereas the government has delayed to place even the matters on which consensus had been reached before the clergy, giving rise to uncertainty in the minds of the general public requiring clarification (sic).

“The United National Party's Working Committee and the Parliamentary Group in joint sessions resolved to call upon the government to place the final draft proposals based on the consenus between the two parties when reached, to the above mentioned parties and the general public prior to presenting such constitutional proposals to Parliament.

“The joint meeting further authorized the the delegation which attended the constitutional discussions to meet the Maha Sangha and other religious denominations and the Tamil parties in this contest".

The joint meeting was chaired by UNP leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesighe at Sri Kotha, the party headquarters.