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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, November 08, 2003

Sri Lankan president calls for national reconciliation

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Friday called upon political parties to put aside narrow political gains and join her to search for "new and creative" solution to the country's two decades of ethnic conflict.


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Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Friday called upon political parties to put aside narrow political gains and join her to search for "new and creative" solution to the country's two decades of ethnic conflict.

"I call upon all the parties representing in the Parliament to put the country before self and to join me in an attempt to from grand alliance of all patriotic forces with the objective to forming a government of national reconstruction and reconciliation," Kumaratunga said in a televised nationwide speech on Friday night.

Kumaratunga said that the peace process will go ahead and the Norwegians will continue to function as facilitators with her clear instructions in their parameter and limit.

She also said that the ongoing ceasefire the government has entered with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels since February last year will stand.

The president said that the Parliament she suspended on Tuesdaywill reconvene on Nov. 19 for the government to present the next year budget.

She also defended her sacking of three key government ministerson Tuesday which triggered the political crisis in the country.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who was on an official visit to the United States while the President took the actions returned home on Friday with a pledge to push forward the peace process with the LTTE rebels.


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