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Premier invites JVP for talks
By Chris Kamalendran
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse is making another last ditch effort to invite the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government.

He has invited JVP leaders for a meeting on Wednesday. The invitation was extended by telephone by the Premier himself who called JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva and Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa.

The invitation came amidst speculation that President Kumaratunga has planned a cabinet re-shuffle tomorrow. She has also summoned a meeting of the government Parliamentary group for tomorrow to discuss the joint mechanism.

The invitation followed three hours of talks at Temple Trees between the Prime Minister, other ministers and leaders of alliance parties. The participants at the meeting had unanimously decided that the JVP should be invited for a dialogue to resolve the dispute.

The Sunday Times learns the Temple Trees talks covered the work done by the JVP ministries, measures to strengthen the government and forthcoming presidential or other elections.

MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda and Cabinet ministers John Seneviratne, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, A.H.M. Fowzie and Rohitha Bogollagama were present at the meeting. NUA leader Ferial Ashraff was invited for the meeting, but was away from Colombo.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga addressing the nation on Thursday said she hoped that the JVP would return to the UPFA.
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