Persuade TNA to resume talks: Govt. tells UNP

4 May 2012 05:22 pm

The government said today it was glad that the United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had held a joint May Day rally in Jaffna, and urged UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to persuade the TNA to resume talks with the government.

Cabinet spokesman and Acting Media and Information Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana told the weekly cabinet briefing today that the government was extremely happy to see the two leaders carrying the lion flag together in Jaffna.

He said it would auger well for political co-existence and racial harmony in Sri Lanka.

“This is a good opportunity for Mr. Wickremesinghe to convince the TNA of the importance of participating in the now stalled discussion with the government help arrive at a consensus on the North-East issue and pave the way to set up the Parliamentary Select committee (PSC),” the minister said.

He said the joint UNP-TNA May Day procession and rally was the best means of showing the international community how the government had brought peace and stability to the North after the 30-year-old war. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)