Financial Times

Chandrika, Ranil- voices in harmony
President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have shown positive signs towards a rapprochement on the peace process during separate meetings last week with the Joint Business Forum (J-Biz).

J-Biz leaders said both meetings were positive as hopes rose that the joint committee headed by UNP chairman Malik Samarawickreme and Presidential Advisor Mano Tittawela would come up with a face-saving formula on power sharing between the two main political parties.

The powerful business group sought meetings with the two leaders to share their views on a proposed power-sharing mechanism aimed particularly at a consensus on the peace process.

President Kumaratunga was quoted as saying that she was prepared to work with the UNP to ensure the continuation of the peace process. Asked for details of the work of the joint committee, the president said she didn't want to jeopardize the process at this stage by revealing details of the discussion.

She said it was essential to include all the main political parties in the peace process including the JVP who have agreed to everything including some form of economic reforms except devolution of power.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had also expressed support to a joint initiative on the peace process and wasn't too concerned about the three ministries being taken over by the president.

However chief government peace negotiator Prof. G.L. Peiris, who was present at the meeting, said the issue of the three ministries had to be resolved before an MoU is signed between the President and the Prime Minister, according to one of the business leaders present at the meeting.

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