Wickremesinghe declines SL President's invitation for talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 May 2005, 02:00 GMT]
Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) declined the invitation extended by Sri Lanka's President MsChandrika Kumaratunge for a discussion on national issues on Monday. "There is no necessity for such discussion at present," said Mr Wickremasinghe in reply to Ms Kumaratunge, reported the State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) in its Saturday morning news bulletin.

Ms Kumaratunge has expressed her dismay over the rejection of her invitation and had expressed her concern in her reply to Mr.Wickremasinghe, the SLBC reported.

Mr Wickremasinghe has also told the President that no one from his party UNP will attend the discussion on Monday, sources said.

Meanwhile, UNP senior member and former Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne said at a press briefing Friday that his party has already briefed the government that it would extends its full support to the proposed Joint Mechanism to be signed by the government and the LTTE to rehabilitate the tsunami affected northeast coastal areas with international funds.