United Nations, Nov 05: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has hoped that the peace process in Sri Lanka would not be harmed by the president Chandrika Kumaratunga's decision to sack three cabinet ministers, temporarily suspend Parliament and order troops to guard key sites. A UN spokesman said Annan is closely monitoring the political developments in Sri Lanka following decisions taken by Kumaratunga.

Sri Lanka is engaged in a peace process with members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are concentrated mainly in the north and east of the country and are demanding greater autonomy. Bureau Report