Ranil wants panel debate

21 July 2010 01:43 am

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe says the issue of the advisory panel appointed by UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon should be debated in Parliament. He said this in response to a question posed by journalists in Chennai.

According to the Hindu, Mr. Wickramasinghe said the government was taking steps to resolve the ethnic issue in both the northern and eastern provinces. He expressed concern at the plight of the internally displaced Tamils and their rehabilitation.

He spoke to journalists on Tuesday at the airport here ahead of his journey to Ladakh.

Answering a question on the attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, he said there were mixed views on the issue in his country. There were also reports of Indian fishermen entering the Sri Lankan waters, and the issue had to be resolved through dialogue.

Asked about allowing the United Nation's advisory panel to visit Sri Lanka, Mr. Wickramasinghe said the issue had to be debated in Parliament.