Leftist parties urge PM to sign MoU with President

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 January 2004, 14:06 GMT]
The Nava Lanka Sama Samaja Party (NLSSP), Democratic Left Front (DLF), Sri Lanka Communist Party (SLCP) and Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Tuesday said they had informed Sri Lanka's Prime Minister to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the President on three points to bring about a conducive environment to restart the peace process.

The three points proposed by the left political parties are:

• the Peoples Alliance should halt all steps to form an alliance with racists parties and military forces,
• to accept the MoU signed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as a factor of peace, and
• accepting the LTTE's interim self-governing authority (ISGA) proposal as an initial step for discussion,

NLSSP leader Dr.Wickremabahu Karunaratne said at a press briefing held Tuesday.

"If such an agreement or MoU could be reached between the two major political parties we think the defense ministry under the President will not become an obstacle to restart the peace process which has been stalled since April last year," said Dr.Wickremabahu Karunaratne.

Dr.Karunaratne further said that under the present constitution the current political crisis would continue even there was an election. The President also must utilize her strength to achieve lasting peace.

The leaders of four leftists parties Messrs Dr.Wickremabahu Karunaratne (NLSSP), Vasudeva Nanayakkara (DLF), Indika Gunawardene (SLCP) and Lal Wijenaike (LSSP) Monday met with the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe at the latter's official residence "Temple Trees" and discussed in detail regarding the current political impasse in taking forward the peace process following the take over the three key ministries from the United National Front government. UNF ministers Messrs Professor G.L.Peiris and Rajitha Senaratne participated in the discussion, sources said.