UNP puts forward three demands

BY RASHOMI Silva

THE United National Party (UNP) while welcoming Government moves to hold talks in Geneva said they would however link three demands including the release of one time Minister and UNP heavyweight S.B. Dissanayake as pre-conditions to support any peace efforts.

"We will do everything possible to help the Government to usher in peace. We would by no means sabotage any effort of the Government to bring peace," Party Deputy General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said.

"But if the Government wants our help they should first stop provoking us," he said, urging the Government to stop 'baiting' opposition MPs to government ranks by offering them portfolios and other perks and privileges.

"If the Government is sincere in their calls for support we hope they would stop luring our MPs with ministerial portfolios," Attanayake said.

"We also want the Government to base the next local Government election on the 2005 voters' list instead of 2004, which we consider erroneous," he added.

He said the party always stood for a negotiated settlement and the government by their willingness to talk with the LTTE to strengthen the Ceasefire Agreement shows they have seconded UNP peace moves.

The UNP, he said, would support the Government, provided they heed what he called their just demands.