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Defence reforms: President seeks time to give her views

by Ranil Wijayapala

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has requested two weeks' time to announce her stance over the proposed defence reforms presented by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe when he met the President yesterday, authoritative sources said.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had pointed out the importance of the proposed defence reforms for strengthening the peace process.

President Kumaratunga has asked the Defence Reforms Committee to present their proposals to her for further scrutiny and asked for more time to announce her stance.

The Prime Minister and the President along with the members of the Security Council discussed the defence reforms at yesterday's meeting at President's House. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Tilak Marapana and the Defence Reforms Committee members Defence Secretary Austin Fernando, Treasury Secretary Charitha Ratwatte, former Army Commander Lt. General Dennis Perera and Asoka Jayawardene.

The President has informed that she had not received files on the extension of services of Majors General and requested the Defence Reforms Committee to forward their proposals.

The Prime Minister has agreed to the President's request and instructed officials to send the files for the extension of services of the Majors General.

A news release issued by the Presidential Secretariat said yesterday that the attention of the President's office had ben drawn to news reports that an uncertain situation has arisen in the Armed Forces due to a decision by the President to send senior Army officers on early retirement.

The Presidents office stressed that all these news reports were false and misleading. There had been no problem regarding the extension of the services of the Majors General mentioned in the news reports.

The President had not received any recommendation from the Army Commander on the extension of services of those Majors General, the release added. "It appears that this is story has been fabricated by certain elements to mislead the Government and the public."

The President's office also expressed its surprise about the manner in which the media had given prominence to these news reports which could demoralise the Armed forces.

Meanwhile, Chief incumbent of the Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya Ven Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana thera responding to the possibility of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga not extending the services of some high ranking security personnel said the country's security should not be weakened.

"The security chiefs under consideration are still in service. Their period of service may be extended in the name of peace and in the interest of the country's security," the Ven. Thera said.

The Viharadhipathi said it was not advisable to effect major changes in the Armed Forces at this decisive moment of the peace process which aims to end the war. 

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