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by Rajmi Manatunga

The Government yesterday said President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will be asked to carry the peace process forward since several institutions vital for the process were now under her control.

Addressing a special media briefing, Cabinet spokesman Prof G.L Peiris said there cannot be a situation of shared responsibility where the Prime Minister appears to be in control of all aspects of the peace process, but in reality is not.

"The Government's view is that it is not possible to proceed with the peace initiative unless one person is fully in charge of the process. If Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is to be responsible for the process, he must be entrusted with all relevant powers," he said.

Prof Peiris said this was impossible now since the country's Defence and Media which have a great baring on the peace process, have been taken over by the President. "The President has told the BBC that the ceasefire agreement itself was illegal. In these circumstances, how can we expect the Prime Minister to carry the process ahead," the minister who is also the Government's chief Negotiator claimed.

The Prime Minister conveyed this position to the country's donor community during a meeting yesterday morning with the co-chairs of the Tokyo donor conference from Norway and the United States.

"The other co-chairs from Italy and the European Union who are currently not in the country will also be informed of the Government's position in due course," Prof Peiris said.

Asked about the Government's response to the President's request to form a national government, he said that the present political issue had to be solved before forming such an alliance.

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