Shelve petty differences to thwart threats - PM

People should shelve all petty differences and rally round as a single intelligent nation to thwart all undue threats and pressures posed to the motherland from certain foreign countries and parties regarding the 18th Amendment to the constitution and defeat of LTTE terrorists said Prime Minister D M Jayaratne.

The Prime Minister said this addressing a meeting held in Kegalle as part of the national program of assisting the development of all religious places of worship.

The Prime Minister said the 18th Amendment was rather intended to empower the people to decide whether they should allow President Mahinda Rajapaksa to continue in office for a further period after completing his mandatory two terms.

He said although President Rajapaksa could come forward and contest the Presidential election after his two terms of office it was upto the people to re-elect him or not for a further period of six years.

The Prime Minister also handed over cash donations to representatives of several Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islamic places of worship in the Kegalle district at this meeting.

Ministers Athauda Seneviratne, Prof Tissa Vitharana, Deputy Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, M D K S Gunawardena, Dr Jagath Balasuriya and Lalith Dissanayake, Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath and several other parliamentarians and Provincial and Local Council Members attended the meeting.