Parliamentary debate date on MOU advanced

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 February 2002, 16:40 GMT]
The Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Monday evening decided to summon the parliament on March 4 to debate the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Earlier the parliament was scheduled to meet on March 5.

On a written request made by the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse Monday to summon the parliament immediately, the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe decided to advance the date to March 4.

A press release issued by the Prime Minister's office said that Prime Minister took this decision following a telephonic conversation with the Leader of the Opposition Monday evening.

The Leader of the House and Minister of Justice Mr.W.J.M.Loku Bandara last week said that the government was prepared for a parliamentary debate on the MoU at any time.

Meanwhile the war of words continued between the Presidential Secretarial and the UNF government Monday over the question of signing the MoU between the government and the LTTE.

The Presidential Secretariat media unit Sunday said that no cabinet papers relating to the MoU between the UNF government and LTTE were not submitted to the President.

Responding to this UNF media spokesman Mr.G.L. Peiris said Monday that papers relating to the ceasefire agreement arrived about an hour before the Cabinet meeting on Thursday. The Prime Minister had three hour meeting with the President on terms of the ceasefire agreement before the informal meeting of the cabinet of ministers last Thursday, he said.