23-01-2008

Devolution proposals handed to President

President Mahinda Rajapakse has expressed willingness to devolve power through provisions available in the 13 th Amendment to the constitution without a two third majority in parliament, Chairman of the All Party Conference (APC), Minister Tissa Vitharana says.

Minister Vitharana said the proposed proposals based on devolution of power drafted by the APC was handed over to the president on Wednesday.

The president addressing the representatives of the APC said that steps will be taken to implement the proposals as soon as possible.

"The government is opposed to terrorism so does the international community. Every effort will be done to erradicate terrorism from the country", the president told them.

The President told the APC representatives that at the same time all possible political measures will be taken to resolve problems faced by the people in the north and east.

The proposals

The proposals have to be passed by a two third majority in parliament in order to amend the constitution.

The President, however, has said that he is prepared to make the devolution of power throughout the country especially the north and east even without a two third majority in parliament.

Strenuous talks

After strenuous talks over a period of fifteen months, ninety five per cent of participants have agreed to the proposals, Minister Vitharana said.

"The president has accepted that the 13th amendment should be implemented and in the discussions we had, president queried as to why it was not fully implemented", Minister Vitharana said.

UNP agreeing

He said United National Party has said that it was ready to participate in devolution talks if disputes within the government were resolved.

Except Sri Lanka Muslim Congress no other opposition party has participated in the talks of the all party conference

Source-BBC