Chandrika-Ranil talks run into fresh snags

Chandrika-Ranil talks run into fresh snags
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

COLOMBO, JULY 2: Talks between Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and leader of opposition United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickramasinghe to finalise the draft new constitution could end up as an "exercise in futility", if both parties failed to agree on its ratification by parliament, before it gets dissolved on August 24.

They have already failed to meet the deadline of June 30 to finalise the draft as stipulated by Chandrika early last month. Instead, the two leaders had agreed to meet again on July 7, which was expected to be followed by a few more rounds of talks.

But the parley hit new snags as UNP said according to the present constitution, the new constitution could be legal only if it was approved by the parliament with two-thirds of majority followed by a confirmation through a referendum during the tenure of the present parliament itself.

Rejecting a government's plea that referendum could be held anytime after the parliament granted necessary approval, senior UNP, MP, Tyronne Fernando was quoted today in the media as saying, "The two-thirds majority obtained ceases to have validity once the parliament stands dissolved in August. Therefore, if referendum is not held before that, the approval ceases to have validity".

However, an advisor to the Justice Ministry Jayampathy Wciramaratne contradicted Fernando saying once the draft was approved by the parliament, the government was free to hold a referendum subsequently and enforce it.

UNP, which has lost all elections since 1994, wants the presidential system to go at once after the parliamentary polls, scheduled to be held before October this year.

The party argues that it has already given its consent to devolution proposals to be incorporated in the constitution for working out a political solution to end the ethnic conflict.

But the UNP leaders say that they can not expect to wait for six years to come back to power even after they co-operated to formulate a new constitution. "She has to decide whether she puts her interests or the country's first", a top UNP leader said.

Ruling Peoples' Alliance leaders argue that Chandrika secured people's mandate only in last December for a six-year term. Therefore, she need not surrender her right to rule the country for the rest of her term. Besides, presidency could ensure smooth implementation of new constitution, they said.

Chandrika and Ranil would be addressing the issue directly during their meeting on July 7, which UNP leaders say could be a make or break exercise. The two leaders also have to come to an understanding on how they proposed to get the new constitution ratified and approved in a referendum.

PA leaders said they have reached agreements on highly contentious issues like constituting an interim council in the north-eastern province for five years, powers to be devolved to regional councils, to administer land and unit of devolution and the nature of the state.

The agreements were arrived with a spirit of give and take. The two leaders were expected to tide over the new problems with the same spirit, they said.