PM tells Subharathi program:

President has clear cut vision

The time has now come to rewrite the country's history since it has gained a major transformation in terms of peace and development under the honest efficient and farsighted leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka.

The Prime Minister said so when he participated in the Subharathi live radio program yesterday.

The Prime Minister said the President should gain a pre-eminent position in the country's history for his clear vision, fearlessness to withstand international pressure, quiet diplomacy and ability to wipe out terrorism which dogged the country for over 30 years.

Fielding questions posed during the debate, the Prime Minister said that when the humanitarian operations were launched there had been immense pressure from international forces and their local dollar agents to halt it but the President who was a leader with a strong will and backbone continued the mission unperturbed by such pressures. Even when certain Forces' chiefs inquired about such pressures and international ramifications the President defused their concerns by saying that it was irrelevant.

The President who was firm in steering the country towards peace never acted against public opinion. He reposed complete faith in his forces and gave all the equipment and wherewithal needed to fight against terrorism.

The Prime Minister said on the diplomatic front the President was able to further friendly relations with a large number of countries. He visited China, India, Pakistan, Japan, Vietnam, Jordan and several other Middle East countries on invitation to further cement existing relations. He also improved diplomatic relations with the west including the US and UK, stabilising the middle path policies of co-existence propounded by late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.

Despite the colossal defence expenditure the President never allowed national development to lag behind. Unlike previous leaders who governed the country President Rajapaksa was able to handle the war and the economy with equal vigour and finesse because he worked according to a clear cut vision.

The Prime Minister said certain opposition leaders had no patriotism at all.

It was the duty of an Opposition to help the government in times of a grave national crise. This feature is clearly evident in countries such as India and UK was not found in the major opposition here as many of their leaders were mere power hungry politicians.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said that the President who received a people's mandate of just over 50 percent at the 2005 Presidential election he has been able to gain the confidence of the whole nation by winning all the Provincial Council elections with a mandate of over 65 percent.

This proved that the people would fully endorse him once again which ever election, Presidential or General, comes next.

Although the LTTE had been defeated its remnants were still haunting in the international arena in cohorts with their local agents.

As they may be planning to stage bomb explosions in the South any moment the government had kept the Security Forces and Police alert to face any problem.

At a time when the country is moving towards rapid development and progress after ending terrorism it is the duty of all patriotic citizens to support the President and the Government to face all future challenges in its path.