UNP to help minority government remain in power

The United National Party(UNP) says it will help Sri Lanka’s minority government, headed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, to remain in power though the party has intensified calls for presidential elections by the end of the year.











The United National Party(UNP) says it will help Sri Lanka’s minority government, headed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, to remain in power though the party has intensified calls for presidential elections by the end of the year. "If the government brings Bills that are good for the country and does not raise the cost of living, we will support it," UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said.

State newspapers indicated today that the President planned to bring the aid sharing agreement with Tamil Tiger rebels, over which the JVP quit the government, to the Parliament for approval, but the UNP is strongly opposing the move.

"She has to sign it first, and we will support her," Karunanayake said.

"Ranil Wickremesinghe signed the ceasefire agreement, and the government itself is now saying that the new agreement is something that is less important, so why can't it be signed?"

The Marxist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna(JVP), in a news conference called to announce its departure from the ruling Unit