Colombo, Nov 18: Sri Lanka's President and Prime Minister began a crucial meeting today, hoping to find a way out of a power struggle that has threatened to derail efforts to end the country's 20-year civil war with Tamil rebels. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe drove to President Chandrika Kumaratunga's fortified home in downtown Colombo, said Janadasa Peiris, a presidential spokesman.

Neither of them made any comment. The meeting started one hour late, but no reason was given.

The meeting is the second between Kumaratunga and Wickremesinghe since the President's surprise power grabs of Nov 4, when she took control of the ministries of defence, interior and media, suspended parliament and briefly imposed emergency rule.

Kumaratunga says that Wickremesinghe has threatened Sri Lanka's integrity by making too many concessions to the rebels in his efforts to end the conflict.

The political crisis prompted the Norwegian government, which brokered a cease-fire between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels in 2002, to announce it was withdrawing from its role as mediator with the tigers until the two leaders reconcile.

The last meeting between the two produced no breakthrough.

Wickremesinghe's government has said a key issue in the political dispute is control of the defense ministry, which is instrumental in the peace process, especially in monitoring the cease-fire.
Bureau Report