|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 14 January 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Politics | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
| President tells nation : My term ends in 2006
She said it was up to her to decide whether to step down before this date or otherwise. She took oaths as President for her second term in 2000. Her oath in December 1999 was done in an abundance of precaution in the wake of an attempt on her life.In a televised interview over ITN last night the President recalled the circumstances that forced her to take her Presidential oaths one year ahead. She recalled the climate which prevailed in the country in December 1999, where emotions ran high following the attempt on her life. She recalled the snatches of conversation she heard at the President's House while convalescing to the effect that enraged people were planning to attack UNP supporters and Tamils over the attempt made on her life. Adding to this a prominent lawyer well known for his sympathies towards the UNP declared that she was incapacitated and as such could not function as the Head of State. In order to prove otherwise and also to calm the public who were threatening retaliation she had no option but to take oaths as she did at that particular moment. "However, had I not taken my oaths again in 2000 I would not be here today as the President of the Country". Referring to the present political stand off President Kumaratunga said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe cannot wash his hands and walk away from the peace process since he signed the MOU with the LTTE in his capacity as Prime Minister and therefore represented the Government though she as the head of state was kept in the dark. The President described as idiotic the Prime Minister's claim that he cannot continue with peace process sans the Defence portfolio. Harking back to 1994 she said as the Prime Minister she wrote to the LTTE and began negotiations while the Defence portfolio was with President D.B. Wijetunga. "I did not demand the Defence portfolio, but kept President Wijetunga informed of all the details (of the talks). "I went ahead with the peace process and updated the then President of the developments," the President said. President Kumaratunga also maintained that the discussions that commenced with the Government in the aftermath of her taking over of three Ministries were productive since both the Prime Minister and Minister G.L.Peiris had conceded the need to co-opt the Opposition in the peace process. She said that during her discussions with the Prime Minister he explained the framework of the solution to the national crisis noting that this was a framework which she and the PA could agree on. However she declined to reveal further details. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga declared yesterday that
she was Constitutionally empowered to continue her present term as
President until 2006 whatever arguments are advanced to the contrary.
