Sri Lankan president says her tenure to end in 2006

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Sri Lankan president says her tenure to end in 2006

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga said on Tuesday night that her term of office will come to an end in 2006 as she was sworn in a second time in 2000, one year after she was reelected for a second term.

"It is up to me to take a decision whether I am to continue in the office of president till 2006 or not," Kumaratunga said on a state-owned television on Tuesday night.

Kumaratunga denied any secrecy over her second swearing in ceremony but admitted that only Chief Justice Sarath Silva and former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar were present at the ceremony.

She indicated that the second ceremony took place to show that she was fit to hold office following her injuries in a suicide bomb attack against her by the Tamil Tiger rebels during the 1999 presidential election campaign.

She narrowly escaped the rebel attempt on her life but lost herright eye in the attack.

The president's statement came amid a prolonged political crisis triggered by herself when she took over under her purview three key ministries of her arch political rival Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government on Nov. 4.

Source: Xinhua

Questions?Comments? Click here

Sri Lankan govt says president's tenure to end in 2005

Sri Lankan president orders deployment of police to prevent religious conflict

Sri Lankan president tightens grip on defense powers

Exploration rover "Spirit" lands safely on Mars ( 9 Messages)

Two major state banks to pilot joint-stock system ( 3 Messages)

China pondering its own "green card" system ( 16 Messages)

Roaring BMW: Was it "road rage" or an accident? ( 2 Messages)

Beijing's traffic no longer a headache by year 2008 ( 5 Messages)