Sri Lanka, Nov 07: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today vowed on his return from a trip abroad to reopen Parliament which has been suspended by his rival President Chandrika Kumaratunga until November19.
  • Emergency withdrawn
    •  "I will see that parliament is re-summoned immediately to continue the peace process," he said on his arrival from a trip to Washington, during which time Kumaratunga sacked three ministers and suspended Parliament.
    A day later she declared a state of emergency and a take-over of the state-run media.
    "Parliament is the focal point of the peace process and with the parliament closed we cannot take the peace process forward," he said, referring to peace talks with Tamil Tiger guerrillas.
    Bureau Report