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"What provides stability is consensus"-President

The Presidential Secretariat in a statement released yesterday has dismissed as ludicrous the government's argument that political stability requires a reduction in the powers of the executive president.

Stating that it wishes to clarify premises made by the media in its coverage of the proposed 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the release says what provides stability is the consent or a consensus of the governed and not absolute power for one political party.

What is required for the peace process is a southern consensus and not absolute power for one political party, it said.

The United National Front had earlier argued that in order that it goes to the negotiating table as a stable government, the president's powers to dissolve parliament and thereby dismiss the government should be curbed. Otherwise, the government says, it cannot come to any agreement with the LTTE.

The statement added that the media was also reporting matters under the premise that the President's position on the peace process is vague. This, the statement said was not true and pointed out that it was the president who initiated the peace process and legitimised the granting of minority rights among the Sinhalese electorate. The president, the statement said has recommended the PA government's 1997 proposed devolution package a basis for negotiations.

The statement also pointed out that there has been no obstruction of the UNP government's handling of the peace process. "We reiterate here that the current cohabitation in government is the concurrent exercise of dual mandates and that cohabitation provides important checks and balances on absolute power," the release added.

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