UNP ready for talks, but only on its terms

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, AUG. 23. In a sudden turn of events, Sri Lanka's Opposition, the United National Party (UNP) said today it was ready for talks with the People's Alliance (PA) Government as early as Friday to resolve the current political turmoil, but made it clear that the discussions would be on its terms.

Replying to an invitation from the Prime Minister, Mr. Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, for discussions on a ``constructive agreement'' on governance, the UNP leader, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, wrote today that his party was ready for a dialogue ``that would seek to resolve the present political and economic crisis within accepted democratic norms and principles''.

But the discussions must be based on the demands of the Opposition that parliament be reconvened, the referendum cancelled and that independent commissions be set up to supervise elections, and the functioning of the bureaucracy, the judiciary, the police and the media.

Stating that these issues should take ``priority'' in any discussion, he named a four-member delegation of senior UNP members to meet PA representatives on August 24 at a ``mutually agreeable venue''.

Mr. Wickramanayake had on Tuesday invited Mr. Wickremesinghe for ``formal discussions'' on an alliance between the UNP and the PA.

With time running out for the PA, and rifts within it bursting out in the open, the invitation seemed like a last-ditch attempt by the Government to find a way out of a tight corner.

The Prime Minister said that the immediate priority of a PA-UNP alliance would be to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in the north-east, to engage the LTTE in ``constructive negotiations'' and to make constitutional arrangements to guarantee minority rights.

Another priority would be to change the electoral system, the abolition of the Executive Presidency and the strengthening of Parliament.

In his reply, Mr. Wickremesinghe said it was clear that the two sides had ``fundamental differences'' on how Sri Lanka should be governed, and said he would not comment on the ``priorities'' set out by the Prime Minister. Instead, listing the Opposition's priorities on which a dialogue between the two sides should be ``predicated'', he said the UNP ``stands ready'' to meet the PA.

Later in the day, the UNP leader addressed a rally of the combined Opposition at the city Town Hall, where he declared that he was not prepared to ``give oxygen to a dying Government''.

Party insiders said there was no contradiction in Mr. Wickremesinghe's readiness to talk and in his declaration at the meeting that he would not throw the beleaguered Government a life-line by agreeing to form a coalition.

In a twist to the recent developments, the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Ashley Wills, admitted today that he had acted as a go-between for the PA and the UNP.

A press release from the U.S. Embassy said: ``Ambassador, Mr. E. Ashley Wills, was asked by one political party to deliver a message to another. After reflecting on the request, and on consulting Washington, he agreed to do so''.

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Section  : International
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