UNF committed to achieve lasting peace - Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 16:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe launching the election campaign on behalf of the United National Front (UNF) Thursday evening at Kandy, appealed to the people to vote for the UNF which he said is committed to taking the peace process forward, political sources in Kandy said. Mr Wickremesinghe said that his new government would strengthen the existing ceasefire, rebuild the economy and achieve lasting peace by working towards a fair and just political solution to the ethnic conflict.

Voters have to decide in the forthcoming general election whether they want peace or war when exercising their franchise in the forthcoming general election, said Mr.Wickremasinghe.

"Attempt to renegotiate the Ceasefire Agreement as stated by the UPFA will endanger peace," he warned.

Attempt to renegotiate the Ceasefire Agreement as stated by the UPFA will endanger peace. Ranil Wickremesinghe

The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has no definite policy to find solution to the country's problems. The UPFA should table its policy related to the ethnic question and country's economy before the country, Mr.Wickremasinghe said.

The President dissolved the parliament at a time when he was engaged in implementing a well-formulatedcomprehensive plan to find satisfactorily solutions to all ills of the country thus ensuring permanent peace, Mr.Wickremasinghe said.

His government took in charge of the country with a brutal war and a ruined economy. With the ceasefire he signed with the LTTE the economy of the country has been resurrected, Mr.Wickremasinghe said.

He added Sri Lanka would be isolated from the world if the UPFA came to power because of its bankrupt policies.

Earlier Mr.Wickremasinghe with other leaders of the UNF paid homage to two Mahanayake Theras of Malwatte Chapter and Asgiriya Chapter and sought blessing from them. Both prelates appealed to the UNF leaders to conduct the election in a peaceful manner and eschew violence, sources said.