Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse
Thursday signed a deal with the main Marxist party under which he
agreed to drop plans to share power with Tiger rebels, but said he
hoped the move would not lead to a resumption of war. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse
Thursday signed a deal with the main Marxist party under which he
agreed to drop plans to share power with Tiger rebels, but said he
hoped the move would not lead to a resumption of war. Rajapakse, who is the ruling party's candidate for the presidency,
inked the pre-election accord with the JVP, or People's Liberation
Front, agreeing to drop federalism, re-draft a truce and stop
privatisation.
His stand is in sharp contrast to that of President Chandrika
Kumaratunga who had agreed to work towards devolving powers to
minority Tamils under a federal system as broadly agreed in December
2002.
"It is agreed to protect, defend and preserve the unitary nature of
the Sri Lankan state under any solution to be presented, formed or
formulated for the purpose of the resolution of the national
question," the agreement said.
In return, the Marxists pledged their full support to ensure
Rajapakse's victory.
Sri Lanka's minority Tamil parties h
