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UNF
ready for cohabitation Govt.: Malik The UNP chairman said this is despite the talks at the Mano-Malik Committee being further pushed back due to a delayed response from the President's office. Mr. Samarawickrama told The Sunday Times that the President's office had wanted the talks scheduled to take place on Tuesday put off with expectations that talks could be resumed on Friday, but there was no response from the President's office. He said earlier the two sides had reached agreement on a range of issues, which included setting up of a peace council chaired by President Kumaratunga and ensuring the continuity of the peace process. However, further rounds of discussions were to be held regarding the ways of continuing the peace process, Mr. Samarawickrama said. Among the other areas where there was agreement were good governance, electoral reforms and not to go for a fresh parliamentary elections for at least one year, the revival of the Bribery commission which has been inactivated, and ensuring that the independent commissions function smoothly. Mr. Samarawickrama dismissed reports that the two sides had discussed matters related to the functions of the Defence Ministry, which was taken over by the President in November. "We were going to have the discussions only at the next round of meeting. We had not taken up the issue at the earlier meeting," he said. However, in the earlier proposals they had touched on the issue about defence, but no discussion had taken place to take a decision on the matter. "We are now awaiting a response from Mano Tittawella to continue the discussions," he said adding that the government was still optimistic that the proposals on having a 'structured co-habitation' government with the President could be arranged. |
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