I ONLY DISCUSSED 13 PLUS WITH INDIA - PRESIDENT

Will meet party leaders soon on nominating members to PSC

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday insisted that he only discussed the 13th Amendment plus with Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and it is up to the proposed parliamentary select committee, and not even to him to determine the best suited solution for Sri Lanka.

Addressing editors at Temple Trees, the President said he would call a meeting with party leaders in a few days’ time to request them fill in the vacancies of the select committee on national reconciliation.

The President reminded that in the Mahinda Chinthana he had emphasized the need for a ‘fresh initiative after a careful perusal of the proposals tabled so far’.

“When I say proposals made so far include the 13th Amendment plus as well” he maintained.

On the alleged divisions among the UPFA constituent par ties on the 13th Amendment Plus, including opposition by the JHU and JNP, the President said, all of them have agreed for his proposal made in the Mahinda Chinthana document and that was enough for him.

Commenting on an alleged TNA move to rope the United States, the United Kingdom and a few other nations to press the TNA demand for a political solution on Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa said a single par ty, not even the SLFP, could dictate terms as to what should be the final solution.

“Only the select committee has been tasked with finding a solution and other can only make proposals. How can I market a solution to the masses if it is going to be rejected by bulk of the countrymen?” the President asked adding that no outsider can decide hat is best for the Sri Lankan electorate. “If I only adopt the TNA proposal I won’t be able to go beyond the Bentara river,” he said in a lighter vein.

On devolving police and land powers, he insisted that the police powers would not be devolved under any circumstances and in the case of land powers too, the final jurisdiction will continue to be vested with the President.

However the President emphasized that he was keen on a best-possible workable solution to the political question as Sri Lanka cannot afford to wage another war.